Harry Potter and the Future Uncertain
by Belcris
Summary: Harry and Ginny are dead. Or are they? Transported to a future where magic is a crime against humanity and science is the only accepted truth, Harry and Ginny must fight against a world gone mad, or die trying.
1. The Death of Harry and Ginny

**_"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep,And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep."_**

Robert Frost

"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"

**Chapter 1: The Death of Harry and Ginny**

Lying in the bed he had shared with his wife almost every night since they had gotten married, Harry Potter had no regrets. Harry had lived an amazing life and he knew that very soon it would be over and he would embark on an even greater adventure. In his one hundred seventy five years of life Harry had seen and done many things that most people would never even be able to dream about. He knew that no one lived forever and his life was at an end now. Yet it was a good end, his wife and family surrounded Harry as he drew his last breaths and he could only smile and thank God for everything he had been given.

Looking up at the faces of his children and grandchildren, Harry felt at peace as he looked at them one by one. His two sons, James and Albus, and his lovely daughter Lily sat at his side while Ginny lay next to him. He knew that they were all talking to him but his ears did not seem to work anymore and all he could hear was the sound of his own shallow breathing as he turned to look into his wife's beautiful brown eyes. A single tear was slowly rolling down her cheek and with the last of his strength he reached up a shaking hand to wipe it away.

"Don't you cry for me," he said in a barely audible whisper to his wife and family. "I had a good life. It's like Dumbledore once told me, 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.'"

"Don't talk like that you old fool," Ginny said looking back into Harry's still vividly green eyes. "You can't leave me yet. I won't allow it."

"Sorry, Gin, I don't think I have a choice this time."

If Harry was going to say more, he did not have the strength for it. Closing his eyes for the last time, Harry Potter took his last mortal breath catching the faint scent of flowers before he exhaled one final time and was gone. His family all cried out and begged God not to take their husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Ginny sobbed weakly as she reached for her husband's withered hand. Finding it she held it tightly in her own and closed her eyes.

Anyone that knew the Potters would have realized it was completely understandable that Ginny Potter would not want to continue living without her husband. Their love was famous around the world as the standard by which other great loves were measured. So it really came as no surprise when only a minute after her husband took his last breath, Ginny followed after him.

"You're not getting away from me that easily, Potter," were Ginny's last words before she was also gone.

_**The Passing of Heroes**_

_The wizarding world was shocked today to learn that the greatest witch and wizard of our age had left us. Harry Potter and his wife Ginevra died minutes apart last night at their family home in Godric's Hollow. Surrounded by four generations of their family, the world famous couple slipped peacefully __from this world and in to the next. Healers at St. Mungo's have confirmed that they both died of natural causes, contrary to rumors of foul play on the part of radical Pure-Blood families still attempting to regain control of the Ministry of Magic. (See page 12 for further details on the link between Pure-Blood families and recent outbreaks of sexually transmitted diseases in sheep__.)(Story continued on page 2.)_

_**Harry James Potter**_

_Godric__'s__ Hollow – Harry James Potter, 175, of Godric__'s__ Hollow died __13 July 2155__ at his home._

_Born 31 July, 1980 to James Potter and Lily Evans Potter._

_Harry Potter is famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Voldemort and for his many years of service __to__ the Ministry of Magic as Head of the Auror Department__, and eventually as Minister of Magic__. Mr. Potter is also remembered for his many other great achievements, too many to list here, and will be sorely missed by the magical community.__ Mr. Potter is the only person in history to ever receive 15 Order of Merlin, First Class awards for his tireless defense of the Wizarding Community and Europe in general._

_Survivors: James Potter (son), Albus Potter (son), and Lily Potter__-__Longbottom (daughter). Mr. Potter is also survived by __12__ grandchildren and __28__ great-grandchildren.__(Exact count of other survivors not available at time of printing.)_

_**Ginevra Molly Weasley Potter**_

_Godric__'s__ Hollow – Ginevra__ Molly Weasley Potter__, 174, of Godric__'s__ Hollow died 13 July 2155 at her home._

_Born 11 August, 1981 to Arthur Weasley and Molly Prewett Weasley._

_Ginevra Potter is famous for her many years playing for the Holyhead Harpies. Mrs. Potter is also famous for her 100 years of work for this newspaper, __the__ Daily Prophet, as the Senior Quidditch correspondent. __Along with her husband, she was an outspoken advocate of __Muggle__-born rights and of the diversification of the Wizarding world. __Mrs. Potter is also famous for having received 12 First Class and 2 Second Class, Order of Merlin awards._

_Survivors: James Potter (son), Albus Potter (son), and Lily Potter__-__Longbottom (daughter). __Mr__s__. Potter is also survived by __12__ grandchildren, __28__ great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews__(Exact count of other survivors not available at time of printing.)_

Magical papers around the world made the announcement the next morning that the Potters had passed away. A worldwide day of mourning was announced and the entire magical community of the planet turned into special broadcasts of the memorial service and funeral. Such was the magnitude of the loss the world felt that one day that not a single person in the magical world cast even the simplest piece of magic to honor that man that had spent his life teaching them all that anything is possible if you just love enough. The Potters were laid to rest on the grounds of Hogwarts alongside Albus Dumbledore, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger-Weasley. Wizarding leaders from around the world promised to dedicate their governments to making sure that Harry's dream of a world at peace would come to pass.

Too bad they failed.


	2. King’s Cross Station?

**Chapter 2: King's Cross Station?**

Taking a deep lung full of the crisp clean air around him, Harry felt incredibly rejuvenated. He had not felt this good in many long years, probably since he had stepped down as the Minister of Magic some thirty years previously. That was when he had started to feel old. When he no longer had something to do every day to keep his mind occupied, Harry had felt as if his life were lacking meaning and purpose. Of course he had been able to spend all of his free time with Ginny and his family, which he would not have traded for anything, but it had not been the same. Slowly his body had seemed to grow weaker and his once sharp mind had begun to dull until eventually he had been forced to stay in bed all day and wait for death to come.

"Death," Harry thought as he finally opened his eyes and looked around at the snow white mist surrounding him, "I've been here before,"

"Well that's nice to know," said a woman's voice from beside him. "Now would you care to tell me why I'm standing here starkers?"

Surprised to hear Ginny's voice, Harry turned around to see his wife standing naked before him. Only it was not the Ginny he had been laying next to only moments before. Gone were the fine wrinkles and the long silvery white hair that he had grown to love so much. This was the Ginny he had fallen in love with all those years ago, the young woman with the fiery red hair he had married and loved all his life.

"Ginny?"

"Forgot me already," Ginny said with slight quiver of her lip as she put her hands on her hips just as her mother had so very long ago. "We've been dead all of maybe five minutes and you already forgot me?"

"No," Harry said walking towards Ginny and taking her in his arms. "I could never forget you, Gin. What are you doing here though?"

Kissing her husband softly Ginny smiled at him before answering, "I guess I couldn't wait to see you again."

"Oh, Gin," he said hugging his wife tightly. "I didn't want that for you. You could have had years without me."

"That's not a life I wanted to live, Harry," she said resting her head on his chest and wrapping her arms around him tightly. "It's just not worth living if you aren't there with me. Besides, I missed seeing the young man I fell in love with."

Looking down at himself Harry realized that Ginny was not the only one that had undergone a miraculous rejuvenation. Just like the last time he had been here, Harry felt strong and healthy. His vision was perfect and as he reached up to touch his forehead he realized that the scar he had worn there all his life was gone. Maybe that was the way it was supposed to be when you died, you returned to the time in your life when you felt your best.

"Not that I don't enjoy seeing you in your birthday suit," Ginny said with a giggle, "but you still haven't told me where we are."

Laughing softly he remembered the last time he had been here. He became suddenly aware of the fact that he and Ginny were standing naked as the pale mist thinned around them. Quickly he thought of clothes for himself and Ginny and was pleased to see them when he turned to find a bench that had suddenly appeared next to them. Neatly folded on the bench was the white sundress that Ginny had always loved so much and his favorite t-shirt and jeans from his youth.

"The last time I was here," he said picking up the clothes and handing the sundress to Ginny, "was right after Tom tried to kill me in the Forbidden Forest. I met Dumbledore here and he explained to me what I had to do to defeat Tom. The place slowly turned into Kings Cross and he told me that I had a choice of either boarding a train or going back to fight."

"Thank you," Ginny said taking the dress from him and slipping it over her head. "I see you forgot to provide me with knickers."

"Why should I," Harry asked casually as he slipped into his jeans, "you never wore them with that dress anyway."

"True," she said with a mischievous grin. "Back to the topic though. So we have to decide on whether to move on or go back?"

"Well I rather doubt we can go back this time, Gin," Harry said pulling on his t-shirt before looking around. "I think this time we'll be boarding a train."

Looking around Harry realized that the station was fully formed now. The mist had vanished and once again he found himself standing in a perfect replica of Kings Cross Station. He half expected to see Dumbledore come walking towards him at any moment but the station was empty except for two trains sitting side by side. The first was the familiar red Hogwarts Express while the other was a very shiny and modern looking electric train that seemed to be all stainless steel and glass. Something about the second train gave Harry a very ominous feeling.

"You two decent yet," asked a voice that Harry knew instantly even though he had not heard it since his fifth year at Hogwarts.

"Sirius?"

The form that walked out from behind the Hogwarts Express looked exactly as it had all the many years ago. In fact, Sirius looked even better than he had before his death. With his hair neatly trimmed and a healthy tan Sirius looked years younger. Harry felt the tears in his eyes as he ran towards the man he had thought of as father and friend all these years. As he reached his godfather, Harry hugged Sirius tightly and prayed this was not a dream.

"It's been too long, my boy," Sirius said in a gruff voice to hide his own tears. "God, how I've missed you, Harry."

"I've missed you, too," Harry said pulling back to smile with tear filled eyes at Sirius.

"Just couldn't wait, could you Padfoot," said a voice that Harry had not heard in many long years.

"You lot walk too slow," Sirius said with his strange bark like laugh echoing through the station.

"Wotcher, Harry!"

Looking in the direction of the new voice, Harry felt the tears of happiness pour down his face again. There before him stood the figures of all the people that he had lost over the years. Remus and Tonks, Fred and George, Ron and Hermione, and the two people he had longed to see for so long.

"Hello Harry," said his father.

"My darling boy," cried his mother as Harry ran to her.

It was an amazing feeling to be hugging his mother tightly for the first time that he could remember. A moment later it was even better as he father wrapped his arms around both of them and they were reunited as a family. Harry had seen and done many things in his life but with the exception of marrying Ginny and the birth of his own children he could not think of a single one that compared to this one. No words were needed around the three of them as the stood there holding each other with tears of joy pouring down all of their faces.

"Oh my God," Ginny screamed as she ran to her brothers.

"We're not the only ones," Fred said pointing over his shoulder at two figures just walking around the bright red train. "We brought a few others along with us."

"Ginny," cried Mrs. Weasley as she ran to her daughter and hugged her tightly.

After many tearful greetings and countless hugs and kisses, Harry and Ginny found themselves sitting amongst their friends and family just enjoying the feeling of joy that surrounded them. How long they all talked and reminisced, no one could say, and no one cared. This was a time for happiness and love; they had eternity to be together now.

"I hate to put a damper on all this," Arthur Weasley finally said. "Unfortunately we have important things to discuss."

"Not yet, Arthur," Harry's mother pleaded. "It's too soon."

"Arthur is right, love," James Potter said to his wife. "We have to tell them now or it will be too hard later."

"That's never a good sign," Harry muttered.

"Too right it's not," Ron grunted as Hermione wiped a tear from her eye.

"They're both right," Hermione said finally. "We only have a short amount of time to do this in."

Ginny looked worriedly at Hermione before asking, "Do what in?"

The entire group of friends and family seemed to suddenly find the floor remarkably interesting. None of them seemed to be able to look Harry or Ginny in the eye. The silence was thick with tension and no one seemed to want to talk so Harry forced the issue by using a trick he had learned in many long meetings at the Ministry. Clapping his hands together so loudly that everyone jumped and looked up suddenly, Harry locked eyes with his father and willed the man to speak with the intensity of his stare. James Potter evidently knew that look and with the look of a man dreading what was to come he cleared his throat and stood up.

"We have been allowed to come meet you here in order to ask a tremendous favor of you," he said as he began pacing back and forth just as Harry did when he was agitated. "I call it a favor but it's more of a task than anything else."

Molly Weasley had started to cry at these words and they were not tears of joy anymore. Harry felt a sinking sensation in his stomach that told him things were not as simple as he had hoped. People did not normally start crying when they were asking a simple favor. The tears only flowed when it was going to be a favor that involved danger and hardship. Ginny must have realized the same because she suddenly grabbed hold of Harry's hand so tightly that he felt his fingers start to go numb almost immediately.

"What's going on, Daddy," she asked her father.

Arthur Weasley smiled at his daughter before he walked over to sit beside her, "we were asked to beg a favor of you.

"Asked by whom," asked Harry as he looked intently at the people around him.

"We're not allowed to say," Lily said firmly to cut off Harry's other questions. "Let's just say we were asked by someone that knows a great deal more than any of us and leave it at that."

Ginny scooted over closer to her husband, "Then someone had better tell us what is going on and what this favor is."

"There is a problem of sorts," Hermione said when the rest all seemed to lose the ability to look Harry and Ginny in the eyes again. "After your deaths, things began to change for the wizarding world. Muggle scientists discovered the link between physics and magic. A group of them known as the Brotherhood of Scientific Achievement used that knowledge to defeat the magical world and eventually the Muggle world as well."

"Excuse me," Harry said looking at Hermione. "We've only been dead for an hour or so. How did all that happen so fast?"

James Potter paced back and forth trying to think of a good way to explain, "Time doesn't work the same here. It's all very subjective here. What might seem like an hour might really be one hundred years or it might just be an hour. That's how true seers and fortune tellers are able to see the future, they can see into this realm if only for a short time."

"Fortune tellers," Harry said vaguely remembering something he had heard a long time ago, and then he remembered. "This is what she was talking about."

"What are you talking about," his wife asked gently.

"Trelawney," he said simply. "The day we left for our honeymoon she pulled me aside suddenly and told me something. '_The one with the power to defeat the Dark Lord has arrived, his wife always by his side. Their tasks will be many and matched only by their love. Old age will claim them but will not be the end as they are asked to fight once more. Two lives repeated to save what will be lost._' This is what she was talking about."

"Sounds like the old bat saw this one coming," Ron said with a hearty laugh. "I hope McGonagall gave her a raise."

"It's not funny, Ron," Hermione said seriously. "I may not have ever liked Divination but she seems to have gotten lucky a few times."

Harry laughed as he listened to his two oldest and best friends argue. He had missed them terribly after they had died. Ron had been the first to go at the ripe old age of 145, slipping away in his sleep one night. Hermione had lived another ten years after Ron passed away but she had never been the same again. She had moved in with Harry and his family after Ron died but everyday she seemed to slip away from them a little more. Eventually they had found her sitting in the library with her eyes closed and a book in her lap, gone finally to catch up with her one true love. Almost twenty years passed without them and it was only Ginny that had kept Harry from wishing he could join them for one final adventure.

"As much as I've missed listening to you nag at each other," Harry said to his two friends with a wide grin, "I think you better tell me what you expect me to do about what's going on. I mean I can't go back unless it's as a ghost."

"Harry, dear," Mrs. Weasley said gently as she wiped tears from her face. "We aren't just asking you to go back."

Arthur Weasley nodded looking at his youngest daughter, "We are to ask if you both will both go back and live again, to fight against an evil so great that it threatens everything."

"It's not possible," Harry mumbled with a shake of his head. "There is no magic that will bring the dead back to life and what could two ghosts do?"

Lily Potter sighed before looking up at Harry and speaking, "There is a way for you to go all the way back, Harry."

Harry looked up at his mother with an expression of shock. When he had first seen her and his father walking towards him, Harry had wanted nothing more than to spend years getting to know them better. Now he was afraid to hear what she had to say. They were all asking him and Ginny to go back, to fight again. After everything they had already done they were still not to be allowed the simple rest that everyone was eventually entitled to.

"Tell us why," Ginny said reaching over and taking Harry's hand in hers again.

Sirius smiled at her and nodded, "Something happened, or I guess you could say is happening. Something is twisting the world and no one seems to be able to stop it."

"Whatever it is," James said sadly, "it's bad and getting worse by the day. The actual laws of the universe are starting to crumble."

Lily nodded before taking over for her husband, "That is all we know. We can't see the mortal world from here so we can only guess at the cause."

"Why us," Harry asked quietly. "Why must we go back and fight?"

Arthur Weasley smiled at Harry and Ginny with such tenderness that Harry could barely look at him, "Can you think of anyone else better suited to fight this evil? Would you be able to sit back and do nothing?"

"There is another reason," Ron said suddenly. "They don't think you should know."

"Ron," Hermione said trying to silence her husband.

"Sorry, 'Mione," Ron said looking sadly at his wife. "He needs to know. They both do."

"Know what," Harry and Ginny demanded together.

"I don't know all the details," Ron said before anyone could cut him off. "There is someone down there that needs you and Ginny. Needs you badly, mate. Without you, they have no hope of anything even close to happiness or a normal life."

"Who," Ginny asked fiercely. "Who needs us?"

Lily was the one to answer in a voice filled with so much sadness that Harry's heart ached to hear it, "She's the last of your descendants. She's the very last Potter."

Harry looked over at Ginny and saw the same determination in her eyes that he felt. Leave it to Ron to clear the board of all opposition so that Harry no longer had a real choice. Harry's oldest friend in the world knew that Harry would not be able to say no if there was someone out there like him in the world, lost and alone, needing Harry's help.

"Bugger," Harry said softly under his breath. "You know you could have just said that in the first place and saved all the rest of it."

"We wanted you to know the worst of it," James said quietly. "We didn't want you to act rashly."

"It's still your choice, Harry," said Sirius as he looked over at his godson. "You don't have to go back there. You can still get on the Express and move on."

"Or we can get on that other train and go back," Ginny said pointing at the shining metal and glass train behind them.

"That pretty much…"

"…Sums it up, sis."

Everyone laughed at the sound of Fred and George's voices blending together so flawlessly. It had been so long since Harry had heard the two young men speaking like that and it felt good to hear it again. Ginny ran over to her brothers and hugged them both tightly as everyone slowly got themselves under control again.

"You said there was a way back," Harry said looking at his mother. "What do we need to do?"

"Are you sure this is what you want, Harry," Remus asked looking deeply into Harry's eyes.

"I don't know about Harry," Ginny said standing up suddenly, "but a member of my family needs me and I intend to do what I can for her."

Harry stood up and wrapped an arm around his wife's slender waist, "Count me in as well. So tell what we have to do."

Sighing, Lily stood up and walked over to the newer of the two trains. When she finally touched the door, it slid open silently and everyone watched as the lights inside of the compartment flickered on. The inside of the compartment was bright and metallic, even the two seats looked like they were made of metal. The smell of it reminded Harry of how his aunt's kitchen used to smell after she was done cleaning it. Once again felt an ominous sense of dread as he looked the inside of the train.

"All you have to do it board this train," Lily said looking back at her son and his wife. "It will take you to where you need to go. Someone will be waiting to do the rest when you arrive at your destination."

Harry and Ginny both nodded as they silently climbed aboard the overly clean train. All of their friends and family gathered outside the door and Lily kept it from closing as they said tearful goodbyes to the young couple.

"Wish we could go with you, mate," Ron said as he shook Harry's hand while Hermione tightly hugged Ginny. "Seems once you ride the Express, you can't take this train ride anymore or me and Hermione would be right there with you."

"We all would be, Harry," Tonks added from where she stood holding tightly to her husband.

"You'll be on your own at first," Sirius said from behind Ron. "Not for long though. If I know you, Harry, you'll have people to stand beside you almost as soon as you arrive."

"It's time," James said sadly as the lights of the electric engine flickered. "We'll be waiting for you when you get back, Son. Never forget how proud we are of you."

"I won't," Harry said wiping tears from his eyes.

"We love you both," Mrs. Weasley said hugging Ginny one last time.

"Give 'em hell," Fred and George said in unison.

"We will," Ginny said smiling at her family.

Finally Lily could hold the doors open no longer and with a final kiss of Harry's cheek, she let them silently slide closed. A moment later the train started moving and Harry and Ginny waved to the people they were leaving behind until the group of people vanished into the mist that was reclaiming the station. Taking a seat next to each other, the couple smiled as the train accelerated into a brightly lit opening in the station.

"So much for a quiet after-life," Harry chuckled.

"I don't care," Ginny said kissing his cheek and then laying her head on his shoulder. "So long as I'm with you, it's all I could ever want."

Holding on to each other tightly they watched as the light around them became blindingly bright. Harry wondered what was going to happen next but Ginny had been right. So long as she was by his side, there was nothing that he could not accomplish. With that thought running through his mind Harry rested his head on Ginny's before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.


	3. The Graveyard

**Chapter 3: The Graveyard**

The sky over the ancient graveyard was a dark and uninviting purple as the first traces of dawn played on the eastern horizon. Someone had placed a ring of torches around the center of the crumbling cemetery and a dark shadow could be seen moving around just outside their light. Two immense cauldrons sat at the center of the ring of torches with fires burning below them. The shadowy figure finally walked into the ring of light and hobbled over to stand in front of them. A second smaller figured rode on the shoulder of the first and together they laid out several golden bowls on the ground.

So many long years had gone into preparing for this one moment. Years that had been spent for the most part alone and lost. The world had changed so much and even now he felt that maybe it was too late to do anything about it. Maybe this was the price they had to pay for all the secrecy and lies. If only things had been done differently then maybe they would not be in this desperate situation now.

Keeping the magical world separated from the Muggle world had seemed like the best solution to a problem that had gotten steadily worse over the years. Unfortunately the means by which they had kept the secrets had been turned against them and made them all look guilty of manipulating the world. Of course that was just what they had done. Erasing memories and telling lies had played on the fears of the common people in the Muggle world. There had been far too many monsters in the world that were merely Muggles, add to that the ones that had the power to bend reality with a spell and the world had seemed a far darker place then it had.

The discovery by the Muggle population that magic was real and not just a plot device in children's stories had been too much. After a brief moment of acceptance and peace, the world had grown to distrust those that could do things they could not. Muggle governments had taken terrible steps to crush the magical governments feeling that there was not enough room in their countries for more than one true leadership. After that, it had all fallen into darkness and it was that darkness which had led one solitary figure to attempt the impossible in a deserted and forgotten graveyard.

_Are you ready for this?_

The voice seemed more like a part of the wind than anything else. The only answer to the question was the silent nod of a feathered head.

_Will you be alright when this is over?_

Another silent nod answered the question.

_Then we better get started. I don't have much time left._

Pulling a red silk bag from under his robe, the short squat figure began mumbling in a whisper too quiet to understand. Opening the bag, he reached inside with thick fingers to pull out a wand and ring. The wand seemed small in his large thick fingered hands but the air around it pulsed with power. As for the ring, it vanished completely in his palm but he could feel that it seemed to burn as he held it.

_They are very close now._

A bright golden glow shone through the hand that held the ring as the shadowy figure waved the wand over it. Whispering incantations so complex that they were impossible to follow, the man finally pointed his wand first at one cauldron and then the other. A beam of golden light sprang from his hand to the cauldrons before he finally laid the wand down and opened his hand. The ring in his palm was vibrating as he finally turned it over three times.

_Here goes nothing._

Two globes of white light shot from the ring and into the two cauldrons. The liquid in the cauldrons suddenly glowed like molten gold as sparks like diamonds danced over the surface of the liquid. The squat figure picked up the two closest bowls and started to pour the powder inside them into the boiling potion. Then taking a deep breath, the strange figure began to speak.

_Bone of the fathers… lovingly given… you will renew your children!_

White sparks shot up from the surface of the golden liquid as the last of the powder was emptied into the cauldrons. There was a flash of bright white light and when it was gone, the liquid had turned to a bright silver color that shone like the stars on a crisp and clear winter's night. However the shadowy figure did not have time to admire how beautiful the potion looked. Pulling a silver dagger from under his robes, the figure turned to face his companion with a look of misery on his thickly shadowed face. The small figure stretched out its wings and nodded his head to show that he was ready.

_I'm sorry, _whispered the dark figure._ Flesh of the ally… willingly given… you will revive your companions!_

With two quick slashes of his knife and a shrill shriek that filled the night sky, the dark figure sliced off the offered wings and quickly tossed one each into the silvery potion. With another blinding flash of white light, the potion turned the color of rubies and sparks shot high into the air. The injured figure on the ground continued to cry for a few moments before falling silent and slumping to the ground.

_Blood of the loved one… honestly given… __you will resurrect your friends!_

With a quick motion, the shadowy figure sliced open his arm and shook blood into both of the cauldrons. The liquid flashed white again, so bright this time that the hooded figure had to turn away and cover his face so as not to be permanently blinded. Suddenly there was an explosion of steam and sparks so violent that it knocked over all the torches and plunged the entire graveyard into darkness as the sparks vanished. All was quiet then and the hooded figure lifted his head slowly to see if all of his preparations and modifications to the spell had worked.

He knew that the original spell had worked for Tom Riddle but he had not been willing to walk down that madman's path. Where the original spell had been based on power and force, this spell had been based on love and sacrifice. He only hoped that it would provide him with the results he had been seeking. If it had failed, he did not know if he would ever get the chance to try it again.

Fear slowly crept into his chest as he waited for a sign that his work had not been in vain. Doubt filled his mind as he went over all the preparations and spells. The potion had taken a week to prepare and now he wondered if he could have made a mistake when he was brewing it. The ingredients had been had to come by and some of them were so old that it was possible that they had lost their potency. He pounded his thick fist into the ground in frustration and misery as hot tears began to pour from his eyes.

_I failed. I failed everyone._

Suddenly there was a sound from inside the two cauldrons. At first it was so faint that he thought he was imagining it but slowly it grew louder and louder. The sound continued, the soft sounds of two hearts beating faster and faster. Finally he watched as two pale naked figures stood up straight and tall just as the first rays of the dawn struck their faces. The young man looked strong and healthy with his raven black hair and blazing green eyes, the only blemish on his body was a thin scar on his forehead in the shape of a bolt of lightning. For her part the young woman was a vision of beauty as her long flowing red hair fanned out behind her in the gentle breeze and her deep brown eyes looked out at the scene around her.

"Bugger," said the young man running his hands through his thick messy hair. "I feel like someone just used my head as a bludger."

The young woman laughed suddenly as she turned to look at the young man, "I know what you mean and I've got the taste of burnt chicken in my mouth."

_Harry! Ginny!_

The dark figure tried to run to them but he fell to the ground after only a few steps. Refusing to be stopped, he crawled towards the two people that he had not thought he would ever see again. For five hundred years he had longed to see their faces, hear their voices, and now they were here with him again. He had never thought he could feel this happy again.

"Who's there," called Harry before he saw the shadowy figure crawling towards them. Climbing out of the cauldron he ran over to the figure and pulled back the hood to reveal the shriveled face of an ancient and graying gorilla. Ginny had followed him and for a moment she pulled back before she saw the gorilla's eyes. They were such a beautiful golden color and they seemed to shine out of the ape's face with a sense of intelligence and love.

Kneeling down beside her husband she reached out a gentle hand to stroke the side of the gorilla's face, "Wulfric?"

_Hello again, Ginny.__ Welcome back, Harry.__ I told you I would always find you._

"That's what family is for," she whispered gently as she kissed his furrowed brow.

"Always," Harry said to his old friend.

Smiling down into the eyes of the ancient gorilla, Harry kneeled down next to him and hugged the ancient creature tightly in his arms. They were suddenly interrupted by a bright flash of flame behind them. Looking around they saw a small pile of ash near the cauldrons and Ginny quickly walked over to examine it. When the pile suddenly moved, Ginny pulled back a bit but then the small and ugly head of a small bird poked out and she forgot all about her fear as she scooped the little bird to her chest.

"Fawkes," she cooed as she kissed the top of the little phoenix's ugly bald head. "Are you here too, you beautiful little thing you?"

"Leave it to you two to do the impossible," Harry said reaching over to brush the ash from his wife's lips.

_He was the key, Harry, _Wulfric's ghostly voice said softly._ He __showed me what to do and brought me what I needed.__ He found me each time I died so that I could continue my work.__ Without him, I never would have been able to pull it off._

"'Each time you died,' does not bode well," Harry said looking around at the now visible graveyard. "How long have we been gone and why are we in Little Hangleton?"

_You died 500 years ago today and we're here because this place has known magic of this sort before. That made it easier to perform the spell._

Ginny looked shocked as she gently cradled Fawkes in her arms. Harry could see her mouth the words "500 years" several times before she finally shook her head and seemed to accept it. He did not feel as comfortable with the news. For Harry it seemed like only a little over two hours since he had closed his eyes for the last time in a bed surrounded by his family. Now he was being told that 500 years had passed. It was surreal.

"I recognize this spell," Harry said looking at the two cauldrons behind him. "Tom used it to come back but he had a body of sorts to begin with and we didn't. I can't believe you used dark magic to summon us."

_I didn't, Harry. Fawkes showed me how to change the spell. He guided me so that I could summon you without harming you__ or anyone else_

"How," Ginny asked gently. "Harry is right; we didn't have bodies like Tom did. Our souls were gone."

Wulfric held out his hand to Harry and dropped the ring he was holding into the young man's palm. The crudely made golden ring with its black cracked stone had not changed at all since the last time Harry had held it. Having sworn never to use the again after that one night in the Forbidden Forest he had hoped that the ring could fade from human memory over time. Obviously that was not going to be the case.

"I keep trying to get rid of this ring," Harry whispered more to himself then to the others. "I left it forgotten in the Forbidden Forest and Hagrid returned it to me. I hid it for years in my room at Grimmauld Place but it always seemed to end up on the nightstand next to my bed. Then I put it in my vault at Gringotts and James found it in his moneybag a month later. I even sealed it in the Chamber of Secrets and the bloody thing showed up a week later on my desk at the Ministry."

_It__ knows its master and it will always return to you. It was with the aid of the ring that I was able to bring your souls back. Fawkes brought me something else to help you as well._

Pointing at the ground behind Ginny, Wulfric sighed as he saw Harry's face go even paler then it already was. There lay the wand that Harry had won and sealed away, the Elder Wand.

"Bloody hell," whispered Harry as he stood up and walked over to pick up the wand. "I sealed this in Dumbledore's tomb. It should have lost all its power after I died."

"Maybe it knew we would be back," Ginny said looking up at her husband. "If it really is as powerful as you always said it is, then it probably knew you would return someday."

Looking at the wand in his hand Harry could only wonder when he would be free of it. Supposedly it was an unbeatable wand but Harry knew that it was anything but. It was a curse that no one should have to bear. The wand contained more power than anyone should ever wield and he had hoped that with his death it would have faded into history. Yet here it was. He could feel the warmth that emanated from it as he held it in his hand and it felt almost like a challenge from the wand to use it.

"So be it," Harry thought to himself.

With two quick waves of the wand Harry transformed the grass at his feet into clothes for himself and Ginny. Until he could get his old wand back, which he hoped would be soon, he would be forced to use this one. However the moment he had his own wand back he intended to seal the Elder Wand back in Dumbledore's tomb.

"Where's my other wand," he asked as he reached down to pick up the clothes he had just conjured.

_It was destroyed years ago by the Brotherhood of Scientific Achievement. They control the world now with their damned science and lies._

"Tell us about them," Ginny said as Harry took the fledgling Fawkes from her so she could pull her clothes on.

_I will once we are safe. The spells I used to hide us from view will not last long. Not being the true master of the wand my spells with it are weak at best. We have to get out of here._

Harry handed the baby phoenix back to Ginny once she was dressed and then he quickly did the same. Once he was fully dressed he cleaned up all traces of their presence with a few quick spells before helping Wulfric to his feet. The old gorilla seemed unsteady as he stood up and Harry feared that there was more that he was not being told.

"Right," he said looking directly into Wulfric's eyes, "where are going?"

_To the last stronghold of magic in all of England_

Reaching into his robes, Wulfric pulled out a tarnished silver drinking cup and held it out for Harry and Ginny to hold on to. As soon as they all had firm grips on the cup, it suddenly glowed a brilliant blue and Harry felt the familiar sensation of something pulling on his navel as he suddenly watched the world go streaking by him. A moment later and he felt solid ground beneath his feat again.

"Harry," Ginny said excitedly, "look!"

Lifting his head Harry saw a site he had never expected to see again. Looking just as he remembered it, not a single thing changed, stood a building that he had been happy to think of as his first home for most of his life. Now some five hundred years later he was returning to once again stand before it.

_Welcome back to Hogwarts, Harry._


	4. Hogwarts

**Chapter 4: Hogwarts**

The first time Harry had ever stepped inside the old castle he had been terrified that he would be found unworthy and be cast out to live with his aunt and uncle forever. Then later he had dreaded returning because he had never wanted to see the place of his mentor's death again. Finally he had come back with the intention of quickly completing a task and then leaving before anyone knew he was there. That last visit had been the worst of them all since it was on that visit he lost so many of his friends and was forced to take the life of a man that would never have questioned killing Harry.

Now here he stood again looking up at the gigantic castle with all of its secrets and memories, both good and bad. Very little had changed in the years since he had seen it last. Still there was something different about it. The windows that had always been brightly lit as if welcoming people to come inside were now dark and it made the structure look sad and lonely. He remembered that even after the great battle that had been waged here, the lights had still burned brightly in the castle. Walking slowly towards the castle, Harry wondered what else had changed in five hundred years.

Looking around the grounds he noticed that the forest seemed to have expanded slightly. Where Hagrid's hut had once stood there now stood a thick grove of neatly manicured trees of all shapes and sizes. In the light of the early morning sun their leaves shone brightly as if they were crafted from gold and Harry could not help but admire how beautiful they were. Ginny seemed to notice this as well because he saw her smile at the beauty of it all.

When they reached the main doors to the castle, Wulfric placed his large hand upon them and the massive doors seemed to recognize him because they slowly swung open so that Harry and the others could enter. Following the limping gorilla inside, Harry reached out and took Ginny's small hand in his. She smiled up at him gently and together they stepped inside.

_Welcome back to Hogwarts, Harry_, said Wulfric's voice in Harry's mind.

Wulfric turned and smiled at his two friends as they made their way up the grand staircase. At first Harry did not know where they were headed but eventually he realized they were heading for the Headmaster's office. As they navigated the dimly lit corridors the torches on the walls would light for them but when he looked back over his shoulder he saw that almost as soon as they passed them, the torches went back out. They were taking the shortest route to the seventh floor and many memories flashed through Harry's mind as they walked.

"Where is everyone," Ginny asked in a quiet little voice.

_I'll explain when we get to the Headmaster's office._

Harry nodded and squeezed Ginny's hand reassuringly as they followed Wulfric to the gargoyle statue that guarded their destination. Wulfric said something, or thought something to be precise, and the gargoyle slid aside so that he and the others could climb onto the revolving staircase. A moment later and they stood before the large oak doors with their brass griffin shaped knocker that Harry remembered so well from his many trips to see Dumbledore. The doors slowly swung open and Harry found himself waiting to hear the voice of Dumbledore as they stepped inside but it did not come. There were several new portraits on the walls but they were all empty at the moment.

"Nothing really changes around this place," Ginny giggled as she sat Fawkes down on what looked like the very same perch Dumbledore had kept in the office.

_I wish that were true. Have a seat and I will be right back. I've been gone since yesterday morning and I need to check on something._

Without a further word, Wulfric hobbled out of the room and through the door leading to the Headmaster's private rooms. Harry and Ginny exchanged a look of puzzlement at sudden departure. Only minutes before he had seemed ready to tell them everything and now he was leaving them alone while he ran an errand. It was all very confusing but Harry was sure there was a reason for it. Settling into one of the overstuffed chairs in the room he made himself comfortable as Ginny settled on his lap and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Such a strange day," she said softly.

"True," he agreed as he wrapped his arms around her protectively. "First we are dying, then we are dead, and now we're alive again five hundred years in the future. I think today takes the prize for 'strange days.'"

He was uncertain how long they sat there waiting for Wulfric to return. The day's events had worn harry out and he found himself dozing with his head resting comfortably on Ginny's. Occasionally he thought he heard the sound of voices whispering around him but when he would open his eyes the room was still empty. He decided it was just his overactive imagination since it had been a very odd day.

_Sorry to keep you waiting so long._

Harry opened his eyes and watched as Wulfric limped back into the room. The ancient looking gorilla had changed into a white robe and made his way over to sit next to the young couple. Harry cringed as he watched Wulfric move as it was obvious his old friend was in a great deal of pain. How old was he and how long did gorillas normally live.

_Don't worry about me, Harry. This body will die soon but I'll be back. Fawkes has gotten very good at finding me over the years._

"I'm sorry," Harry said quietly so as not to wake up Ginny. "I didn't think what I was thinking was so obvious."

_Only to someone that has known you as long as I have. We don't have much time so I better tell you what you need to know._

Harry nudged Ginny to wake her and received a playful slap for his trouble, "I'm awake.

"Just checking," he said with a kiss to the top of her head before focusing all his attention on Wulfric. "So tell me what's going on."

Wulfric settled himself into his chair and then took a deep breath before speaking. The expression on his face was grave as he collected his thoughts. Harry could not help but feel that he was not going to like what the old gorilla had to say.

_It all started abo__ut forty__ years after you and Ginny left us. A young man, Sean __Cootes__ by name, came to Hogwarts on his eleventh birthday just as many others had before him. The difference was that Sean was a genius and had already graduated from a __Muggle__ college at that tender age. He excelled in physics and mathematics so when he received his letter to attend Hogwarts, he was greatly interested __in __how magic fit into his views of the universe._

"He was allowed to attend Hogwarts even though he had already attended college," Ginny asked puzzled at such an occurrence.

_He was __Muggle__ born so no one really paid attention to the fact that he had already attended a __Muggle__ school. I assume that the headmaster at the time did not do the proper research into the young man's __background__ or else he might have withheld the young boy's acceptance letter__. So when __Sean__ arrived, no one realized he was the greatest threat to the wizarding world that anyone had seen since Voldemort. _

Harry frowned at these words and he immediately disliked the young man they were talking about, "Another foolish headmaster not seeing the danger a child could present."

_Don't be too harsh regarding Sean. He was not directly responsible for anything that happened and he later took great steps to protect the wizarding world from those that would misuse his discoveries.__ His sacrifices later on are part of the reason you are here._

"Go on," Ginny urged as she patted Harry's arm in an attempt to calm him.

_Sean spent four years here at Hogwarts before he graduated with top marks on his NEWT exams. It was obvious to everyone that he was an extremely talented wizard and scientist. He __spent three years after he left Hogwarts working on __one of the greatest puzzles of the time, the __Unified Field__ Theory. He __eventually __proved that magic was the missing element when it came to the rules of the universe__ and with their inclusion, the theory finally made sense__. Unfortunately he also destroyed the illusion that magic did not really exist. Within a year of publishing his findings, the secrecy acts were all done away with because it had become impossible to modify the memories of the entire planet._

Harry sighed as he thought about the chaos that must have come about in both worlds after that discovery. People that had long thought they understood their place in the worlds would have suddenly had to learn a whole new vision of reality.

_For __several__ years things were fine__ and great advancements were made in science and magic__. It was slow going but eventually people realized that science and magic could exist together. Then a ne__w group appeared on the scene calling __themselves the Brotherhood for Scientific __Achievemen__t or the BSA as we call them now. It was their goal to help unify the __Muggle__ and wizarding worlds into a peaceful whole. For several years they seemed to be doing exactly that and the governments of the world, __Muggle__ and wizarding, turned to them to mediate disputes. It was a golden age for everyone._

"So what went wrong," Ginny asked as she sat up a bit straighter on Harry's lap.

_There were a series of magical terrorist attacks around the world which caused the governments of the world to hand the BSA __enormous__ power to find the culprits. There were numerous arrests and trials of wizards and witches around the world but the attacks continued. The BSA said the attacks were aimed at separating the two worlds again. Everyone was afraid so they went along with the story. More and more power was handed willingly to the BSA and they eventually decided they needed to take steps to prevent further attacks._

_All of the magical schools around the world were suddenly required to confiscate the wands of students and to teach only theory until the student in question turned 18, the legal age of consent in the __Muggle__ world. To regain their wands the students had to pass strict tests to prove they understood the theories they had been taught but when it came time to start the testing, no one passed. The tests were too difficult for students that had never been allowed to wield a wand before. BSA officials declared that the old methods of educating students was obsolete and they forcefully closed all the schools and made it mandatory that students attend state run wizarding schools__ to "prevent the further corruption of our magical youth__"_

"What did the Ministry of Magic do about all of this," Harry said heatedly. "I can't imagine they just sat back and allowed that."

_They didn't, and that was the cause of what happened next. The wizarding governments were declared outlaw states and __Muggle__ forces closed them down forcefully with the aid of a device based directly on Sean's discovery. The devices are called Anti-Magic Field Generators but they are really just white noise generators that interfere with the magical fields and prevent wizards and witches from casting spells. With the aid of those machines, the __Muggle__ armies marched right in and removed the wizarding governments from power in a single day._

Harry was dumbstruck. What chance did the wizarding governments have if they had no way to defend themselves? Without magic they were powerless against a man carrying a gun.

"They tried to fight back anyway, didn't they," Ginny said quietly.

_They did. There was a civil war of sorts all around the world as wizards and witches tried to stand up for their rights but they were easily defeated. The BSA would lure them into battles where the magic users would think they had a chance at winning, and then they would turn on the generators and it was over in a matter of minutes. Hundreds of thousands died and when it was all over, the BSA was in complete control. The __Muggle__ governments turned over complete control __to them__ and magic was made illegal. Wizarding families were rounded up and sent to re-education camps and were never heard from again._

Harry felt his rage burning white hot in the pit of his stomach as he listened. His dream of a world where Muggles and wizards could live in peace had been shattered. Here he was in a world that was the epitome of everything he had hated about keeping secrets from people and there was nothing he could do about it. With their ability to prevent him from using magic, Harry was just another helpless victim waiting his turn to be abducted and done away with.

_The BSA hunted any know wizards or wizarding families. Your own family and that of the Longbottom and Weasley families were hunted till they were all but erased. The Longbottom family finally found refuge in South America, where they still try to help save the few remaining magical families there. The Weasleys did much the same in America. They were able to vanish in the chaos of that country but they also help those that are trying to avoid the BSA._

"And the Potters," Ginny asked nervously.

_They remained here in England helping me in my work and assisting those in need. They suffered a great deal over the years. They kept fighting to hold on to the old ways and save our history. The BSA has been methodical though._

"We'll come back to that later, Wulfric," Harry said in a mild tone. "We already know some things about our family so we can talk about that later. I want to know why no one has tried to stop the BSA in all this time. I mean in five hundred years someone must have done something."

_You misunderstand. They did __most of the damage in the first nineteen years after Professor __Cootes__' discovery.__ By 2219 they had complete control and since then they have been erasing all traces of magic in the world. If not for a few brave souls, all remnants of magic would have been erased from the world a long time ago. Fortunately the last Headmaster of Hogwarts __urged the wizarding governments of the world to use Hogwarts as a repository of magical knowledge. They brought everything they could here and hid it so that there could be a chance at recovering what the BSA had set out to destroy._

"Sounds like a smart man," Harry said with the deepest respect.

_He was a brilliant man who I only knew for a short time before his death. He devoted the last fifty five years of his life to doing nothing but researching how the BSA had been able to create such a thing as the Anti-Magic Field Generators. For most of that time he was alone here with no one to keep him company except the house elves, ghosts, and portraits of the former Headmasters. When I arrived he was almost ninety years old and he was dying but he told me it had all been worth it._

"I like him more and more," Harry said feeling a kinship to the man who had devoted his life to helping so many. "What was his name?"

_Professor Sean __Cootes__, last Headmaster of Hogwarts._

Harry sat dumbstruck at the announcement. The same man he had held responsible for this entire situation was the man that had later sacrificed his life in order to make sure that magic was not erased from the world.

"Well now I feel like a bloody plonker," Harry said wryly. "Here I am thinking he's a menace and it turns out he was a hero."

_He really was, Harry. He __was __compared to Dumbledore and to you for most of his __life__ before the fall of magic. Afterwards the BSA made him out to be a dangerous madman but they always respected his power. If he had figured out how to stop them, he would have been the greatest hero of all time.__ Unfortunately, he ran out of time before he could discover the secret._

Harry kissed Ginny gently on the cheek before slipping out from under her so he could pace. All of his best thinking was done while he paced. When he was a boy he had often paced when he was upset or angry but later in life he had found that it calmed him and allowed him the ability to see solutions he had been unable to grasp before. If ever there were a situation that required pacing, this was it. They needed a solution to this mystery and they needed it quickly.

"What about the magical families," asked as he paced. "Couldn't we bring them here and pool our knowledge on the subject?"

_The first thing the BSA did when they took over was to institute a registration act for all newborn children. Each is tested to see if they have the magic "gene" as the BSA puts it. If they prove positive then they are taken, otherwise they are returned to their families.__ There are only a few hundred __magical __children born worldwide each year so it is easy for the BSA to keep it all quiet. The parents are paid handsomely for their loss and everyone goes back to pretending that there is no such thing as magic anymore._

"That's horrible," Ginny said feeling her face turn red with anger. "How could a parent let their child be taken like that?"

_They are not given a choice. If they don't register their children then the whole family is subject to execution under the law. Many feel it is better to sacrifice one child then maybe lose an entire family._

"There are no children that escape the registration," she asked with a silent plea in her eyes.

Wulfric looked uncomfortable for a moment and then sighed heavily. Harry could see that they were getting close to the revelation that Harry was both expecting and dreading. They had already been told about the last of the Potters but a part of him had not wanted to hear the details. He knew Ginny would take it the hardest if what he expected to hear was right.

_The __Longbottoms__, Weasleys, and Potters all escaped to Hogwarts when the BSA started to round up wizarding families. __They lived here with me, helping to rescue __Muggle__ born wizards before they could be taken by the BSA.__ Nine years ago the __Longbottoms__ and Weasleys left to go into hiding after the Potters, Arthur and Minerva Potter to be exact, were__ killed while trying to rescue a family that had refused to be registered. When they died, the others seemed to finally lose hope._

Ginny sat silently for a few moments as she thought about what Wulfric had said before she looked up, "Where is my grandchild?"

Wulfric looked shocked at Ginny's words. He had not expected Harry or Ginny to know about the child. He had thought he would have to break the news to them gently but now Ginny was looking at him with that fiery determination that he remembered so well from before. The small glimmer of hope that he had been feeling in his chest suddenly burned brighter.

_Follow m__e._

Wulfric stood up slowly and motioned for Harry and Ginny to follow him into the Headmaster's private quarters. Ginny had never seen the Headmaster's private rooms before. She was surprised to see that they were far smaller then she had imagined they would be. Instead of the grand apartment she had envisioned the chamber was just a simple bedroom with two small beds. One was a standard Hogwarts four poster bed while the other looked more like a nest than anything else. She assumed the nest was Wulfric's while the bed must belong to her many times removed grandchild. She was proved right when Wulfric pulled back the curtains to the four poster bed to reveal the form of a small sleeping child.

Harry could not help notice the similarities almost instantly. The small girl looked almost identical to the little girl he had met the first time he had stepped foot in Kings Cross to board the Hogwarts Express. He felt a strong sense of déjà vu as he looked at the long flowing red hair and the light dusting of freckles on her small face.

"She's beautiful," Ginny whispered so as not to wake the small child.

"She should be," Harry whispered back. "She looks exactly like you."

Wulfric gently closed the drapes around the bed and lead Harry and Ginny back out of the room.

_She has your eyes Harry. __Her name is Amelia and she is ten years old. I have raised her as best I could since her parents died but an old gorilla is probably not the best role model for a little girl._

Ginny walked over and hugged the ancient gorilla tightly, "I'm sure you did a wonderful job. You were always good with children and you were the best nanny any of my children could have ever had."

"With the exception of the time we found Lily running around the yard starkers," Harry laughed.

_I was an old dog at the time. How was I supposed to stop her from running out of the house without hands?_

They all broke down laughing at that point. The laughter felt good after such a dark conversation. Harry still had a lot of thinking to do but for a little while he just wanted to forget that things had gotten so out of hand while he was gone.

"So you are the Headmaster of Hogwarts now," Ginny said approvingly.

_Actually I'm __not;__ I'm just what you might call a school governor__. Professor __Cootes__ was the last Headmaster. That is why it was so important that I get you back here when I did. He was able to make sure that the wards around the school would stay in place after his death but nothing lasts forever. The wards have been growing weaker with each year and if a new Headmaster is not appointed soon__ the wards will fail__ when I die this time_

Wulfric was looking at Harry in a way that made him more than a little nervous, "Don't even think about it."

_Sorry, Harry. I don't have any other options right now unless you want me to ask Ginny?_

"Ask me what," she said looking at both of them.

_Harry Potter, I officially ask you to accept the position and responsibilities of the Headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry?_


	5. Headmaster?

**Chapter 5: Headmaster?**

_Harry Potter, I officially ask you to accept the position and responsibilities of the Headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry?_

"You fucking wanker," Harry yelled at the old gorilla. "On top of everything else you are going to drop this one on me as well?"

_Well it isn't like I've got a lot of options here, Harry. I don't know if you've noticed since you got here, but there aren't a lot of people walking around the corridors applying for the position._

"Did it ever occur to you that I might not want to be responsible for this place," Harry demanded as he paced back and forth even faster now.

"I don't see what the big deal is, Harry," Ginny said looking at her husband as if he were acting foolish. "It's not like we're doing anything else right now."

"That's not the point," Harry spat as he started pacing even faster. "Don't you see that he's trying to make me save the world again?"

"And you thought your family and mine were just pulling your leg when they said we were being sent back for a reason?"

Harry looked up quickly at his wife feeling rather foolish. "Well no, of course not, but this is different."

_Your families?_

"Not now, Wulfric," Ginny said in the same tone of voice she had often used with her children.

_Sorry, Ginny._

Harry almost laughed when he saw the expression on Wulfric's face matching that of his sons when Ginny was scolding them. He refused to laugh at the comparison though. This was serious business. Headmaster was not something he had ever seen himself doing in his lifetime. Then again he had said the same thing about becoming the Minister of Magic. There was also the fact that this was no longer technically his lifetime but his "afterlife time." That thought brought Harry to his senses and he could not stop laughing.

"You're right, Ginny," he said apologetically to his wife before turning to look at Wulfric. "You knew I wouldn't be able to say no, didn't you?"

_I can talk now?_

Harry snorted with laughter as Ginny nodded curtly to the pouting gorilla.

_Well I figured you would do it. I mean it's not like I have any other options right now._

"Of course he'll do it, Wulfric," Ginny said in a commanding tone of voice.

"Don't I get a say in this?"

"Of course, love," Ginny said with an innocent smile. "You can say exactly what I tell you to say regarding this decision. I have a grandchild sleeping in the next room that will be in danger if those wards fail. If you becoming the next Headmaster of Hogwarts will keep her safe, then you will bloody well take the job. It's either that or you sleep in your own bed from now on because I will not be letting her out of my sight until she's strong enough to care for herself which I figure will be when she's thirty or so years old. Do we understand each other, Mr. Potter?"

Harry and Wulfric stared slack jawed at the vision of innocence that had just spoken. Anyone seeing her at that moment would have thought she was an angelic being come straight from the heavens to deliver a message of peace and love. They would have been wrong but it would have been an easy mistake to make. Wulfric looked at Harry with a twinkle in his eyes that clearly said Harry was buggered if he did not do what his wife told him to.

"Fine," Harry said with a deep sigh. "I'll take the bloody job."

No sooner were the words out of his mouth then the entire room was filled with the roar of numerous voices congratulating him. Spinning around to look at the wall behind him Harry could see that the previously empty portraits were now full of the previous Headmasters and Headmistresses of Hogwarts. There was Dumbledore and McGonagall hanging next to each other in matching golden frames. Each and every one of the portraits were cheering and trying to yell their approval louder than the one next to them. The noise was so loud that Ginny finally clamped her hands to her ears while Wulfric looked up in awe at the now full portraits. It was only the arrival of a small crying redheaded child that stopped the cacophony.

"Uncle Wulfric," wailed the child as she ran across the room and threw herself into the old apes arms.

_It's alright child. I'm here now. What's wrong?"_

Ginny looked up at the portraits and their occupants with an expression that clearly said that anyone making a peep would find themselves on the wrong side of her temper. Then walking over to Harry she buried her face in his chest so that no one could see her crying.

"I'm sorry, Gin," Harry whispered to his crying wife as he wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"It's ok, you prat," she said softly. "It's got to be done, Harry, and you know it."

Harry nodded as he watched the small child crying in Wulfric's thick arms. In his life he had made many decisions that were based on the bigger picture. This was just going to be another one. The fact that a member of his family needed him to protect her was the final proof that he was making the right decision.

"There was a scary noise and when I looked, you weren't sleeping in your bed," the child cried as Wulfric held her in his arms and stroked her hair.

_I'm here now though__ and I brought some new friends for you to meet. Would you like that?_

"No," said the child with a hint of petulance in her voice. "I don't' want to meet anymore ghosts."

_No ghost__s this time, Amelia. I want to__ introduce you to some very special friends of mine._

Lifting the little girl up in his arms, Wulfric turned her so that she could see Harry and Ginny standing in front of the Headmaster's desk. At first she seemed afraid to say anything. Harry smiled gently at her as he looked into his own eyes peering out at him from Ginny's face.

"Hello, Amelia," he said softly. "My name is Harry and this is my wife Ginny."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Amelia," Ginny said turning in her husband's arms so she could smile down at the small child.

"You have hair like mine," Amelia said pointing at Ginny's hair. "Only Uncle Peter has hair like mine and he's gone away now."

Harry looked at Wulfric for an answer to who this Peter person was. The ancient gorilla shook his head sadly and Harry understood that Peter, whoever he had been, was yet another casualty of this tragic turn of events.

_Peter Weasley. He stayed with me for a time after the rest of his family moved to America._

"Well that makes sense then," Ginny said with a smile. "I'm a Weasley, too."

"No you're not," Amelia said shaking her head. "Uncle Peter said there hasn't been a girl in his family for years and years."

"It's true, poppet," Harry said, walking over and kneeling down so he could look the young girl in the eyes. "Ginny was a Weasley before she married me."

Amelia shook her head again, "No way. Uncle Peter never lies and he said there were no girls in his family in a really long time."

_Your uncle was right__ but Ginny and Harry are a lot older then they look. Ginny was one of the last Weasley girls to be born._

"They don't look that old to me," Amelia said firmly. "They don't even look as old as Uncle Petter and he was really old, like twenty-five or something."

"It's true," Ginny said walking over to join the small group. "I was the first girl to be born in my family in a very long time."

"You must be really old then," said the small girl in a teasing manner. "What's your last name now?"

"Ginny Potter," Harry said with a grin.

The squeal the little girl made was earsplitting as she leapt from Wulfric's arms to Harry's. Harry barely managed to keep from falling over as the little girl wrapped her arms around his neck so tightly that he could barely breathe.

_Calm down, child._

Amelia's outburst had taken Harry by complete surprise. It also seemed to have robbed the child of the ability to speak. She just clung to him like a drowning man might cling to a life jacket. Casting a concerned look at Wulfric, the old gorilla just sadly shook his head and shrugged. Ginny was the only one that seemed to understand the girl's reaction to the name Potter and she mouthed "tell you later" when Harry looked at her.

_I tell you what, Amelia, why don't you and Ginny go down to the kitchen and see if the house elves will make you some breakfast?_

Looking over at Ginny, the small girl gave a little nod of her head before climbing from Harry's arms to Ginny's. The look of instant love that crossed his wife's face brought a lump to Harry's throat. Ginny had loved being a mother, and later a grandmother. What role they were going to play in this little girl's life was still up to fate to decide, but Harry knew that Ginny had already decided that she would protect this child with her life. As she carried Amelia from the room, Ginny turned only once to wink at Harry before closing the door behind her.

_I'm surprised she is even this calm._

"Why do you say that," asked Harry.

_It's my fault. I've been telling her stories about you and Ginny for most of her life. I think meeting you in person was a bit much for her__. I should warn you that__ you are her greatest hero._

Harry laughed as he thought about his meeting with another red head many years before and how nervous she had become when she learned who he was. It seemed that more than Ginny's appearance had been duplicated in the small girl.

"Harry," said a gentle voice from behind him.

Turning around he saw that all the portraits were looking at him intently. It was slightly unnerving to be the center of attention for such a large group of great wizards and witches.

"We've are very happy to have you back amongst us, Harry," Dumbledore said from his portrait. "We have listened intently to Wulfric's plans for many years and doing what we could to help. I know that each and every one of us hoped he would be successful."

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said walking around the desk and leaning against it. "If you don't mind me asking, sir, where were you when I first arrived?"

McGonagall smiled down at Harry fondly before speaking. "We are bound by our previous commitments to this school to assist and support the rightful Headmaster of this school. We have done our best to assist Wulfric in any way that we could but he was not the true Headmaster of the school, as such we felt it was best that he should talk to you first before we said anything to sway your decision."

The man in the portrait next to Dumbledore laughed suddenly. Harry looked at the old man with his short cropped white hair and vividly blue eyes. "That and I figured until you heard the whole story from Wulfric, you might not want to talk to me."

"And you are," Harry asked politely although he suspected he already knew the answer.

"Professor Sean Cootes," said the friendly looking old man with a bow, "last Headmaster of Hogwarts and the cause of all of this mess."

"Nonsense, Sean," chided Dumbledore. "If anyone is responsible for what has happened then it is the BSA. Any responsibility you had in this disaster were long ago canceled out by your service to the numerous people you saved and the way in which you protected this school."

Many of the occupants of the other portraits agreed with Dumbledore's words. Harry could only think how strange it was to be listening to this conversation. Generations upon generations of Hogwarts Headmasters and Headmistresses were now at his disposal and some day, so long as he did not abandon his post, his portrait would hang amongst them. Wulfric must have understood what Harry was thinking because he just looked at Harry with a smile on his face.

"Ok," Harry said firmly to regain the attention of all the portraits. "What do we do now? I'm the Headmaster of an empty school. I need to know how to refresh the wards around the school and how to go about taking a stand against the BSA."

_The first is the easiest._

"Quiet right, Wulfric," Dumbledore said smiling down at the old gorilla. "Just taking the position has refreshed the wards. Of course you may want to inspect them to make sure that they meet with your approval. Feel free to add any additional wards that you see fit. Those words will be maintained indefinitely so long as you do not abandon the post of Headmaster."

"I assume Hogwarts itself provides the power required to maintain the wards," Harry asked.

"Correct," Sean said with a grin. "You catch on quick. The wards become a part of the original enchantment of the school once you cast them. From that time on they are renewed every time a new Headmaster is appointed. It's a part of the enchantment of the school, the original founders realized that magic would progress so they created wards that would adapt over time."

"As the rightful Headmaster of the school you have the ability to modify or even eliminate any of the wards," McGonagall added. "I never used the ability myself but many did."

"Anything else I should know," Harry asked curiously.

"Nothing too important at the moment," Dumbledore said smiling down at Harry. "The position has its share of secrets that only the Headmaster may know. We will disclose all of them in time. For right now it might be best if you got some rest before we delved too deeply into the mysteries of the position."

"I do think Wulfric should show you one of our best kept secrets," Sean said bowing his head. "Take him to the Chamber, Wulfric. He needs to see what is kept there."

_I planned on doing that next__, Sean_

"And Wulfric," Dumbledore said with a hint of sadness in his voice. "I feel rather rude for asking you this, but how much time do you think is left?"

The ancient gorilla turned away from the portraits and shrugged.

_Maybe a day or two. I'm very tired n__ow and ready for a bit of rest._

"We'll miss you while you're gone, old friend," said the portrait of McGonagall. "Hurry back, won't you?"

_I'll do my best, Minerva._

Harry looked over at his old friend. He had never liked it when Wulfric's time was growing short. He had seen nine different physical incarnations of the tragic soul, and each time he had felt a great sadness when Wulfric's time came once again. Now it was time again to say goodbye to his friend and begin the long wait for his return.

_Follow me, Harry. I have much to show you and very little time to do it in._


	6. The Chamber of Secrets

**Chapter 6: The Chamber of Secrets**

While Harry was busy talking with Wulfric and the portraits of the former Headmasters, Ginny was busy getting to know the little girl that had just become the center of her world. Amelia was so much like she had been at the small girl's age. Amelia was confident while in her element but shy once she was pushed beyond her comfort zone. Ginny knew this not only because she could see it in the small girl's actions but it was the way Ginny herself had been as a small child.

After they had left the Headmaster's office, Harry's office now, it had seemed so strange to be back at Hogwarts again. For Ginny it had been over one hundred years since she had set foot in the school. After her children had finished school, there had just not seemed to be a good enough reason to return. Not even the one hundredth anniversary of Tom's defeat had been enough to get her back here. There were just too many bad memories that had haunted her more and more as time passed, not to mention the monument. The monument with Fred's name on it had always been a source of pain for Ginny.

As they walked Amelia babbled on about anything and everything that passed through her mind. She asked questions that Ginny did her best to answer just as she always had with her own children. That was another source of pain for Ginny. Glancing at her reflection in one of the many large windows, Ginny realized that she was just as she had been the day she married Harry. Physically she was maybe twenty years old again, but mentally she was still one hundred and seventy four years old. The fact that she could carry Amelia in her arms for so long was proof that Wulfric's spell had worked as it was intended to, but it seemed so strange to not feel the aches of all her years as she walked.

"Ginny," asked the small girl suddenly. "Are you and Harry going to be my mum and da now?"

"Wh-what," stammered Ginny, shocked by the young girls question.

"Uncle Wulfric thinks I don't know much," continued the young girl. "I listen when he talks to the people in the pictures. I know Uncle Peter is dead and that he's going to die, too. When he's gone I'll be all alone so I figure he asked you to come here to take care of me."

There was such a sense of loss in the small girl's voice as she spoke. Ginny held her even tighter in her arms before she sat Amelia down on a stone bench, taking a seat beside her.

"Well that's part of the reason he brought us here," Ginny said gently. "He's worried about you and what will happen to you when he's not around. I think he also wants us to help fix something that has gone wrong. That way you can have an even better life. Wulfric is special though, he'll be back. He may look different when he comes back, but it will be him."

"Can my real mum and da come back?"

The longing in Amelia's voice was enough to break Ginny's heart. How many times had she thought that same thing after her parents had died? Even though she was an adult when her mother and father died, Ginny had still cried herself to sleep for weeks after they were gone. Harry had spent many nights just holding her tightly and telling her that she would see them again, but she had wondered if that were true. Of course now she knew Harry had been right all along, but it had been a difficult time for her after it first happened.

"Nothing like death to shake your faith in even the things you know to be true," Ginny thought as she smiled at Amelia.

"I'm afraid they can't, dear," Ginny said brushing tears from Amelia's cheeks. "I'm sure they are watching over you though and they still love you just as much as they ever did."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better."

Holding Amelia tightly to her, Ginny wondered if it would be possible to explain to a child the things that she had seen after her own death. She doubted the child would understand it when Ginny herself barely understood it. Some mysteries should just stay unsolved. Ginny made a conscious decision to keep the young girls mind off these worries for now. As they once again made their way down to the kitchen she wondered if Harry would have any better luck explaining something like this to the small girl.

"What say after we have breakfast, we go outside and enjoy the morning a bit," Ginny asked.

"Sounds good to me," Amelia said with a smile as she took Ginny's hand.

Harry at that moment was wondering why he was being dragged into Moaning Myrtle's old bathroom. The last thing he wanted was to see Myrtle after all this time. Then again, since he had arrived Harry had not seen any ghosts, or even Peeves the poltergeist. That was odd because Peeves never passed up the chance to prank someone, especially Harry. The Castle seemed even emptier without the silvery shades floating around.

"Where are all the ghosts," he finally asked.

_Long gone._

"Gone," scoffed Harry. "That's not possible. How can they be gone?"

_I'll explain once we get to the Chamber._

Suddenly Harry realized what chamber Wulfric had been talking about. Why else would they be on their way to Myrtle's bathroom? It was obvious when Harry thought about it but he had been trying to avoid thinking about that place for so long that it had not even occurred to him. Once they arrived and stepped inside the old run down bathroom, he had no choice but to admit to himself that he was afraid of that dark and dank place. Thankfully there was one thing that would prevent him from having to see that place again.

"Wulfric," Harry said looking at the tap with the snake's image on it, "I can't open the chamber anymore. I lost the ability to speak Parseltongue a long time ago."

_You don't need to, Harry. You are the Headmaster__ of Hogwarts__ now, and as such you can tell the portal to open__ and it will obey.__ You'll see, we made a lot of changes._

Harry wondered what Wulfric could mean by that. "Open."

Just as it had once before, the sink in front of him slowly vanished from sight to reveal the entrance to the Chamber of secrets. The large pipe seemed cleaner than it had the last time he had seen it but other than that it was the same as before. Even the smell of it reminded him of that night all those years ago, that heavy smell of mold and decay.

"Should have had the house elves clean it up a bit if you were going to redecorate," he laughed half-heartedly as he slid into the mouth of the pipe.

Sliding down the long pipe Harry was reminded of the night he had rescued Ginny from Tom. Harry had been terrified that night that he would arrive too late to save Ginny. Harry wondered if some part of his heart even then had known that she would eventually become the woman he loved more than his own life. When he reached the bottom of the pipe and slid out onto the bone-covered floor he half expected to see Ron come sliding out of the pipe right behind him but Wulfric appeared there a moment later.

_Well that was rather fun. We decided to leave the outer chambers as we had found them in case anyone ever found their way down here that we didn't want to._

Wulfric led Harry further down the long tunnel. The long dead skeletons of rats and other creatures still littered the floor, crunching beneath their steps. How strange it seemed to be walking this path once more after so many years of trying to forget about it. At first, before Tom died, he had held onto the memories as a shield of sorts. As long as he remembered what Tom had tried to do to Ginny, Harry could use the anger as a weapon against the madman. However, after Tom's death Harry had done his best to never think of it again. The only time he and Ginny had ever talked about it was on the rare occasions when she would wake up from a nightmare about her time in the Chamber.

"Dead end," Harry said as he reached the place where the ceiling had caved in.

_Tell it to open._

"Open," he commanded the mass of rubble.

To his surprise the rocks began to fold in on themselves much like the entrance to Diagon Alley did when you tapped the right brick. At first the opening was rough and looked ready to collapse at any moment. Then as it grew larger Harry realized that the opening was turning into a grand arch, finely crafted and beautifully detailed with the crest of Hogwarts worked into the key stone. The tunnel continued beyond the arch but now it was neat and clean with torches burning brightly ever few feet.

"You weren't kidding when you said you had made some changes."

_You haven't seen anything yet._

That was an understatement. Already Harry could see that Slytherin's great serpentine doorway was gone now, in its place stood a massive stone wall with the Hogwarts crest carved into it. Harry did not need to be told what was expected of him as he spoke the command for the wall to open. Slowly the wall rose up into the ceiling. The chamber beyond was nothing like Harry remembered from his last visit.

_When the Ministry knew that it was soon to be attack, they originally planned on transporting everything to the maximum security vaults at Gringotts. Fortunately they were prevented from doing so when the bank suddenly closed its doors and refused__ entrance to anyone. It was too late for Gringotts though. As soon as the Ministry fell, they were next. The BSA claimed the reason was to prevent the funding of future magical terrorism, but we all knew it was the Muggle banking community that put the BSA up to it; they __couldn't__ stand the goblins hav__ing control over all that gold. So, they brought everything here._

The Chamber had changed a great deal. The statue of Salazar Slytherin was gone, as was much of the former Chamber. The Entire room looked as if it had been enlarged to expand even farther beneath the leak then it had previously. In fact, if Harry had to guess, he suspected it now stretched far beyond the shores of the lake outside.

"How," he asked, shocked at the sight before him.

_Sean did it. He tore through Slytherin's protective wards and charms as if they were tissue paper. He transfigured the statue into a gigantic fireplace and they directly connected that fireplace to the Ministry and began moving everything through the Floo system. It took three days and they were still working on it as the BSA forces gathered outside the Ministry for their attack. The last item had just come through when the Anti-Magic Field Generators went online. Sean destroyed the fireplace on this end and began modifying the Chamber so it could be of some use. Over time, he expanded it as the situation required._

Harry had been listening to Wulfric, but the incredible sights around him distracted him. Where before he had walked into the Chamber on the same level as the statue's feet, now he stood on a platform that overlooked the rest of the Chamber in a manner that reminded Harry of pictures he had seen of the Coliseum in Rome. Great terraces stretched around the room and then wide staircases would lead down to the next, slightly smaller, terrace. Great glass globes hung from the ceiling overhead casting magical sunlight down on the entire room so that it felt more like standing outside then in a cavern under a lake. That was not what had Harry's attention though. At the very bottom and center of the Chamber stood a sight that Harry had not seen in many years, the Arch.

"How the hell did you get that here," Harry said turning and walking down a stairway that led down to the next level. "The first thing I did as Minister of Magic was order that damned thing sealed away."

_You know they followed that order, Harry. However, w__e couldn'__t let the BSA get their hands on it, so it was brought here._

Harry kept walking, barely hearing what Wulfric had to say as he descended the massive stairways. At one point, he passed what looked like the entire contents of Ollivander's wand shop. Then there was an entire terrace filled with shelf after shelf of books and artifacts, a sight that would have made Hermione drool with a desire to read and examine them all. There was so much more but Harry could not pay attention to it now. He only wanted to reach that accursed Arch to see for himself that it was still sealed.

"The wards I had put around the Arch should have prevented anyone from ever getting near it again," Harry said finally reaching the last lowest level. "Are you telling me that the BSA could have gotten to it even though those wards?"

_I really don't know, Harry. Whatever wards you had put around the Arch __were__removed long before the BSA came to power, probably as soon as the Minister after you discovered it. The Arch has always been too tempting __for the Ministry to forget about it for very long_

Looking up at the Arch with its tattered veil still gently blowing in a breeze that no one could ever feel until they passed through it, Harry realized that he should have known it would not be left alone after he was gone. "They all passed through it. The ghosts of the castle all passed through the Veil, didn't they?"

_Yes they did. Sean convinced them all that it was time for them to go. Myrtle was the first to leave; I think she was hoping to see you again. Nick was the last, the old softy felt it was his duty to stay and protect the school__. He stayed for many years __after Sean __died. Eventually I convinced him to leave as well. I missed him when he was gone, but there was nothing else Nick could do and I was afraid I would fail._

"So much has changed," Harry said, wiping a hand across his face in an attempt to clear away the weariness that suddenly filled his mind and body. "I need rest, Wulfric. Is there someplace I can clean up and get some sleep?"

_The Headmaster's quarters are…_

"Yours and Amelia's for as long as you need them," Harry said firmly. "Are there still guest quarters?"

_Of course, Harry. Follow me._

With a final look over his shoulder at the Arch, Harry followed Wulfric. He glanced down at the gold ring on his right hand. Glancing at Wulfric to see that the old gorilla was not paying attention, he spun the ring three times around his finger. At first, he was unsure if it had worked but then he heard the sigh of a breeze and looking over his shoulder again, Harry watched the Veil blown straight out as if in a strong gust.

"I see you figured it out, Harry," said a young woman's voice so that only Harry could hear.

"You doubted him, love," asked a young man.

"Enough," Harry whispered. "You're not back five seconds and you're already bickering?"

The two shadowy figures laughed as they fell in step beside Harry. Some pains never really went away, like the pain of losing your best friends and not being able to speak to them anymore. Harry had debated using the ring many times but never had. Now he had an excuse, maybe it was a bit selfish but he could justify calling for them.

"The Arch really does lead to the other world," Harry asked in a hoarse whisper.

"It does, Harry," Hermione said with a warm smile.

"We all pass beyond the Veil eventually, mate," Ron agreed as they walked.

That knowledge made Harry feel better. With a smile to his oldest friends in the world, he let them return to their rest and watched as the veil once again blew taunt in an invisible gust. It might have been selfish, but Harry was glad that he had been able to see them again, even for only a few minutes. Once again, Harry realized just how important Ron and Hermione had been to him when they had been alive, and how important they still were even though they were long gone now.

_You must miss them a great deal. I know I felt like a part of me was missing once you and Ginny were gone._

Harry laughed as he sealed the doorways behind him. "Leave it to you to figure out what I was doing."

_I thought about it many times when I was alone. I even made up my mind that when all of this was finished, I would walk through the veil in the hopes of ending my own personal curse. I think I would like to just rest someday._

"I never would have understood that before," Harry said as they climbed into the pipe leading up to the second floor bathroom and levitating back up it. "I guess I had to be in your position before I could appreciate the ability to die."

Wulfric nodded as he led Harry out of the bathroom after sealing the entrance to the Chamber again. The two walked in silence as they left the bathroom and made their way towards the guest suites. Harry wanted to talk about everything but he just felt that his mind needed rest before he tried to figure it all out. There was just too much to absorb and he had reached his limit.

"Wulfric," he finally said as they approached the guest quarters. "Are you still in touch with the Weasleys and Longbottoms?"

_Of course, Harry._

Harry opened the door to what he remembered as the largest of the guest suites and invited Wulfric inside. "I want you to get messages to them telling them that I would like to meet with them if possible."

_I'll contact them tonight. Anything else, Harry?_

Harry shook his head wearily as he sat down in one of the large chairs that were sitting in front of the room's immense fireplace. He felt that his eyes were weighted down with lead as he tried to keep them open.

"No, that will do for now," Harry said trying to rub the sleep from his eyes. "I missed you, Wulfric."

_I missed you, too, Harry. Get some rest and I'll let Ginny know where you are at._

"Thanks," said the exhausted young man as he stood and made his way to the bed. As soon as Wulfric was gone, Harry stripped out of his clothes as he crawled onto the large bed and finally collapsed. Harry was asleep before his head ever got near the pillow.

Ginny on the other hand was at that very moment more awake then she had been in years. After having a wonderful breakfast in the kitchen, she and Amelia had made their way out onto the grounds where they had spent most of the morning playing tag and talking about "girl stuff." Amelia was as smart as she was curious and Ginny wondered just how much of what was going on the little girl really understood.

Amelia gave hints as the talked that she was well aware that things were not at as peaceful as Wulfric wanted her to believe. As they ran closer and closer to the main gates of the school, Ginny could only hope that Amelia had been able to keep some of her innocence. When they reached the gates and looked out at the land beyond Hogwarts, even that small hope was gone.

"God," Ginny breathed. "What happened?"

"What do you mean," Amelia said looking past Ginny. "It's always been like that."

Ginny felt tears pouring down her eyes as she looked out at what had once been a beautiful countryside. Now it was a charred and desolate wasteland as far as her eyes could see. Gone were any traces of the path that had led to Hogsmeade or the station where the Express had dropped students off. Nothing remained but destruction and chaos.


	7. Hogsmeade

**Chapter 7: Hogsmeade**

"What do you mean it's gone," Ginny demanded of the old grey haired gorilla.

_The BSA were trying to find Hogwarts but they couldn't because it was unplottable. Unfortunately, generations of witches and wizards knew that it was located within walking distance __of Hogsmeade__, which was not unplottable_

Ginny could not believe that anyone could be that evil. What she had seen out beyond the gates of Hogwarts had looked more like a picture of the surface of the moon then anything she had ever seen in Scotland before. Many places were burned so badly that the very dirt itself had melted into something like black volcanic glass. Nothing could have survived what had taken place out there. It was a desecration more than an act of any war against magic.

_When they could not take control of Hogwarts the way they had with the other magical schools, the BSA decided to make sure no one got near it. __Without warning t__hey scorched the earth black for twenty miles in every __direction from Hogsmeade, then they declared the entire area off limits.__ Only the wards around the school kept us from suffering the same fate as the people living in Hogsmeade.__Out beyond where you can see is a wall that surrounds the entire area, guards patrol it constantly and anything or anyone seen getting to close to the wall is instantly killed. The BSA__ may not have been able to take over the school__ but they managed to cut us off fairly well._

If Ginny had not seen it with her very own eyes, she would never have believed that anyone could do such a thing. How many times had she wandered the streets of Hogsmeade as a young girl and dreamed of a day when she would be able to go there with Harry. Now it was gone, not even rubble remained. Tears had flooded her eyes as she thought of all the lives that had been lost because of the BSA.

Unable to take it anymore, Ginny headed for the room Wulfric said Harry was sleeping in. Fortunately she had dropped Amelia off for a nap before going to look for Wulfric because she doubted she could hold it together around the little girl. So many things had been spinning in her mind that eventually Ginny felt she must burst. Now she was running through the halls of Hogwarts trying to get to Harry. She needed him to hold her and make it all right again because so far, nothing in this mad time and place was right.

Throwing the open the door to their room, Ginny looked around to find Harry. Her need for him was becoming painful. It was not sexual but emotional and that made it even worse with each passing second. When she saw his naked form, long and lean, stretched out on the bed in a state of exhaustion, Ginny ripped her clothes off and crawled into the bed next to him. Harry was so deeply asleep that he did not even notice as Ginny pushed him over on to his back so that she could climb onto his sleeping form and stretch out there. Years of his wife's strange sleeping habits had conditioned Harry's body to wrap his arms around her small frame no matter how deeply he was sleeping. Laying her head down on his chest, Ginny listened to Harry's heartbeat as if it were the only thing in the world that was real.

"They destroyed Hogsmeade just to get to Hogwarts," Ginny thought as she made herself comfortable. "Bastards were willing to kill anyone that got in their way."

She was in Harry's arms now and she only wanted to be with him. As if Harry understood her need even as he slept, part of him started to wake up. It had been years since they had made love. They had remained just as intimate but when you spend so many years with someone, the need for that moment of union grows less important. Now Ginny felt that need burning in her hotter than it ever had before and her body quickly reacted to that need. Pulling away from Harry enough so that she could position herself for him, Ginny found that union and sighed blissfully as a shiver of pleasure ran up her spine.

"What you doing, Gin," Harry mumbled in his sleep.

"Sleep, lover," Ginny whispered as she enjoyed the sensation of being joined with him.

"Yeah right," he answered back as he woke up.

No other words were needed after that. They took their time, refreshing the physical connection that had been missing from their lives for so long. Ginny found herself lost in Harry's touch and embrace. Several times she cried out as he brought her to the peak of pleasure. When he was finally expended, they lay wrapped around each other like two halves of one person. Laying there like that they finally drifted off to sleep, dreaming of each other and how much they loved one another.

It was several hours later when Harry woke up and looked at the woman sleeping in his arms. Ginny was wrapped around him still and he lay there looking at her for some time before finally sliding out of her arms and crawling carefully off the bed so as not to wake her. Quietly making his way to the bathroom, Harry glanced back at his wife's sleeping form and smiled at how beautiful she looked laying there in the bed they shared.

Once the bathroom door was closed Harry walked over to the full length mirror to look at his reflection. It was only then that he noticed that he no longer needed his glasses. In all the excitement of the day he had paid no attention to the fact that his eyesight was perfect now. His emerald green eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire that he had never noticed from behind his glasses. As he looked himself over he realized that his eyesight was not the only thing that seemed strangely changed, his body looked as if it were flawless. Gone were the little scars that he had learned to live with, now his skin looked like that of a baby's as he turned to look himself over. Only the scar on his forehead remained.

"Seems I will be forced to wear this no matter what happens," he laughed as he touched the scar with his fingertips. "I guess I can live with it."

Gone were the wrinkles and the age spots. Harry was not one for vanity, but he had to admit that he looked better now than he could ever remember looking before. His muscles were toned and well defined, like they had been when he was playing Quidditch all the time, and he felt limber and flexible. As strange as it was to be looking at himself as a young man again, it felt good not to have the aches and pains of old age holding him back anymore.

Breaking away from the mirror, Harry turned on the taps of the large bath that took up half the room. Soon thick steam filled the room and seemed to soothe his mind. Slipping into the hot water he felt his body relax as he considered everything that had happened. Returned from the dead and made Headmaster of an empty school, Harry wondered if things could get any stranger. He would have to find a way to deal with the Brotherhood of Scientific Achievement, and soon. For the moment though, taking a hot bath was the most complicated thing that he wanted to deal with.

"Knut for your thoughts," Ginny said from the open bathroom door.

Ginny looked incredible to Harry as she stood leaning against the doorway. Like him, she looked better then he remembered her looking before. Her pale skin with its light dusting of freckles seemed to glow with health, and her every move revealed the fact that she was in better physical condition then she had been since retiring from professional Quidditch. Harry drank in the sight of her like a fine wine, letting his eyes travel over her body slowly. Ginny noticed his appraisal and blushed as she stepped into the room.

"How's the water," she asked as she walked over and sat on the edge of the tub.

"See for yourself," Harry said as he pulled her into the tub with him. "There's plenty of room for two."

As they had when they were first married, Harry and Ginny enjoyed the heat of the water as they held each other tightly. They talked softly in whispers meant only for each other, often stopping just to look into each other's eyes. There was a great deal of kissing and touching as they renewed the physical bond between them, something that old age had slowly replaced with comfort and acceptance.

"We're like a couple of teenagers again," Ginny whispered playfully as she nibbled on Harry's ear.

"We are a couple of teenagers again," he laughed, tickling her playfully. "At least we're as close to teenagers as we've been in a long time."

They stayed in the tub until the water began to cool before they stepped out and dried off. Walking out into the bedroom they found that the house elves had at some point delivered a platter of sandwiches and pumpkin juice. The made a picnic of their meal, turning the bed into their private hideaway. Harry could barely keep his eyes off of Ginny's skin as they ate, his desire for her growing again with each moment. She must have felt the same because eventually she pushed the food off the bed and pulled him down next to her. It was an hour or more later before they climbed out of bed again to clean up once more.

"Not that I'm not having fun," Ginny laughed as Harry washed his face, "but we should probably see about finding Wulfric."

"If he needed us he would come find us," Harry said walking back out of the bathroom and crawling back into their bed. "It's late and we've earned a bit of rest before facing this new world."

"In other words," Ginny giggled as she crawled back into the bed next to him, "tonight is ours?"

"Exactly, my dear wife," Harry whispered as he pulled her close.

They curled up under the blankets and held each other tightly as the drifted off to sleep. If they dreamed that night then they were dreams of each other. Occasionally one or the other of them would move in their sleep before pulling the other close again. Harry's face had a smile on it as he slept and Ginny sighed contentedly from time to time. The dark news of the day forgotten in the embrace they shared.

When they finally woke up the next morning, just as the sun was rising, they both felt completely refreshed. Harry searched the room for some clothes but in the end he had to transfigure a few towels into clothes for them. Eventually he was wearing his favorite style of shirt and jeans with a pair or trainers thrown in for good measure. Ginny had insisted on a jean skirt and a black tank top with a pair of sandals, Harry liked how she looked in the outfit so he was not about to complain.

"Nice job, Mr. Potter," she said kissing his cheek. "You got the skirt just right and the sandals are really comfortable."

"That's me, dear wife, your personal fashion designer," Harry laughed as he tucked his wand into his back pocket.

"You always forget the knickers," she said tapping her foot playfully.

Pulling his wand back out, Harry quickly rectified his oversight and handed the rather revealing scanties to his wife. Rolling her eyes at him she stepped into them, and pulling them up she walked into the bathroom to make sure she looked presentable. Once she was satisfied Ginny walked back out and grabbed his hand tightly.

"What is it about the thought of me walking around without knickers that is so appealing to you," she asked as they left the room and made their way to the Headmaster's office.

"You're always appealing to me, Gin," he laughed. "I just like seeing if you'll actually ask for them when I pick out your outfits. I've noticed over the years that you only ask for them when you've got something important on your mind."

Ginny sighed as she realized he was right. He knew her so well that sometimes it was hard to imagine a time when he had not been her other half. Taking a deep breath, Ginny told him all about her discovery concerning Hogsmeade. Harry's expression grew darker by the moment until he looked like he would start yelling at any second. She hated to see him this angry but what could she do, he would eventually find out what had happened.

Walking past the gargoyle that guarded Harry's office, they rode the stairs up to the door in silence. Harry looked in only long enough to convince himself that Wulfric was not inside before he led them back out and down the stairs. He had the look of determination on his face that Ginny always associated with him making a decision that she would not like.

"Where are we going," Ginny asked as Harry led her through the school.

"We need to get you a wand," he said in a tone of voice that allowed no arguments. "I will not have you walking around defenseless in this insane asylum of a world."

She was not going to argue with him about it after seeing what lay outside the gates of Hogwarts. If anything, Ginny completely agreed with him regarding the need to protect herself. What she did not understand was where he thought they could get her a wand when as far as she knew, no one made wands anymore. Still, he seemed to know where he was going. Unfortunately, so did Ginny now.

"I'm not going near that place again," she said planting her feet and stopping Harry short.

Harry was about to say something rather angrily to his wife when he caught the look on her face and thought better of it. "It's not the same now, Gin."

"I avoided this whole bloody school for most of my life because of that fucking place," Ginny said working her way quickly into a tantrum that her mother could have been proud of. "So, you'll excuse me if I don't give a flying fart if Father bloody Christmas is sitting down there holding court."

"Do you trust me?"

Ginny's jaw dropped wide open in shock. Harry never used that line against her unless he was determined to get his way in the end. He knew she trusted him with her life and to call that trust into question was a tactic that she knew he only used when things were looking the darkest. Of course, with the state of the world around them, they had never been in a situation that could be called darker. Tom had been the evilest being that Ginny had ever met. The Order of Heaven had seen humanity as a never-ending food supply. After all the things they had faced, the BSA was the worst threat to their world that Ginny had ever seen.

"Ok, you prat," she said finally allowing him to lead her into the bathroom entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.

"Sorry, Gin," he said as the sink sank out of sight and revealed the entrance to the Chamber. "I wouldn't make you do this if I had a choice."

"You always have choices, Harry," she said as she slid into the large pipe. "You just don't always want to see them."

With a last reproachful look up at Harry, she let go and slid down the long dark pipe. There was not one thing about this situation that she liked. Ginny had been serious when she said she had avoided Hogwarts because of her memories of the Chamber and what had happened there. There had been other reasons but this had been the one that always decided the matter for her. In her deepest nightmares, this place was still alive and Tom was still standing over her sucking the soul from her body.

As her feet struck the ground, Ginny felt her stomach knot up at the smell of mold and mildew. It reminded her of a grave, specifically her grave even though she had never been in one. Tom had intended this to be her tomb and nothing Harry said or did was ever going to change the way she looked at this place. For Ginny this was the closest thing to being dead that she could think of and if there were a Hell, this was it.

"Sorry," Harry said as he slid out of the pipe to stand next to her.

"Don't apologize," she said turning away from Harry as he reached for her hand. "Let's just get this over with."

The look on his face was that of a wounded child as he led her down the dark passage. Ginny tried not to notice the pain on her husband's face. Harry was the one that had dragged her down here and he was not going to make her feel guilty for how she felt about it. As she watched him open the portal through the rubble that blocked the wall, she did feel a slight twinge of curiosity. Following after her husband, Ginny wondered if the torches had been here the last time she had walked through this passage.

"Probably not," she thought looking around. "This looks too neat and clean to have been to Slytherin's taste."

"I'm no fonder of this place then you are," Harry was saying as he opened the doors to the inner chamber. "They had good reasons for using it though. Where better to keep the secrets of the wizarding world then in the Chamber of Secrets."

Gone were any traces of the place that had haunted her nightmares for so many years. Now it was filled with light and warmth. Ginny had dreaded the sight of that monstrous statue and the mouth that had spewed forth the basilisk. Instead she found a room large enough to have a Quidditch game inside of.

"What is all this," she asked in a stunned whisper.

"Long story short," Harry said leading her down one of the wide staircases. "Anything and everything that people didn't want the BSA to get their filthy hands on was brought here."

Ginny continued to follow Harry as she looked at everything around her. It was like Diagon Alley had been moved to the gigantic chamber, only they had forgotten to bring the stores and just brought the merchandise. She almost cried when she saw a section across the open atrium that was stacked high with what were obviously Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes products. Ginny almost ran to the look at the display when Harry stopped in front of an enormous collection of shelves and books. It took her a moment to realize what she was seeing.

"It's all of Mr. Ollivander's wands," Harry said picking up one of the boxes and handing it to Ginny. "We'll try every one of them till we find one that works for you."

"Or we could look for one like my old wand," Ginny suggested handing the box back to Harry.

Over the next two hours they tried numerous wands with poor results. Ginny had looked for a match for her old wand but had been unable to find anything similar. They were just starting to get discouraged when Ginny noticed a box tucked towards the back of one of the shelves. After pulling it out she thought it must have been there for years because the dust on top of the box was thicker than anywhere else.

"Maple, 9", dragon heartstring," she read quietly before opening the box.

The wand was unlike any she had seen before. It was smooth in her hand as she pulled it from the box, and there was a slight feeling of vibration as she held it. The light golden color of the wood seemed to glow in the light of the chamber, and only the small black dots at either end showed that it was not carved from one solid piece of wood. Ginny barely had to think about it, this was her wand, a flick of her wrist and a shower of red and gold sparks that touched the ceiling proved it.

"Bugger me," Harry said watching the sparks slowly floating to the ground. "Think you found one, did you?"

"I think I did, Mr. Potter," she said bowing to her husband.

"Shall we duel, my love," he asked in an exaggerated tone.

"But of course," she replied.

Quickly putting back the few boxes they had not already replaced on the shelves, Harry and Ginny made their way down to the terrace below Ollivander's wands. This terrace seemed to be reserved for something that had not been delivered so it was wide open. Taking their stances about twenty feet apart, they bowed and began casting.

Harry had the immediate advantage as they cast spells back and forth. Although it had been many years since they had practiced together, Harry still seemed to have the instincts that many years as an Auror had built into his body. Nothing Ginny cast at him seemed to get close, not even her Bat-Bogey Hex. Harry dodged everything she cast at him until he finally wrapped her tightly with magical ropes before walking over to kiss her softly.

"That was fun," he said breathlessly as he released her.

"Glad you think so," she panted. "I got my arse handed to me. I couldn't seem to touch you."

Harry sat down on the edge of the terrace and patted the spot next to him. "Don't sell yourself short, Gin. It was only luck that I got you with that last spell. You were doing a great job of dodging and attacking."

Ginny sat down next to Harry on the edge and leaned her head against his shoulder. Taking his hand in hers, she looked out over the atrium below them and smiled. Her fears of this place, fears that had chased her for a lifetime, were fading quickly in the bright light and feeling of hope that filled the immense room. It struck her as fitting that a monument to a madman's desire for racial purity should be replaced with a dream of tolerance and hope.

"I'm glad you brought me down here," she whispered. "I had been dreading the thought that this place still existed and now I see that it has become something so much better than it ever was before."

"I was shocked at first when I saw it," Harry said, wrapping an arm around her. "I didn't want to come down here again anymore then you did. When I saw what they had made this place into, I thought it was the best idea I had ever heard."

Standing up, Harry held out his hand to help Ginny to her feet before he walked up towards the entrance. They had been down here for a long time and Wulfric would probably be wondering where they were. The fact that his stomach was growling was just an added incentive to make his way back up to the school proper.

"Do you think we'll be able to do something about this crazy world," asked Ginny when they finally sealed the bathroom entrance behind them.

Harry thought about it for a few moments as they walked down to the kitchen. "I think we need to get more information. We're just walking blind right now. There has to be a way to see what is going on out there and maybe find people willing to help us."

"True," she agreed thoughtfully. "You think we should find a way to sneak out of here and see what's going on in the world?"

"That's exactly what I think we should do but I think first we need to find out everything we can about these Anti-Magic Field Generators."

"Yeah," she agreed as they reached the entrance to the kitchen. "Not going to do us much good to get outside the wall if we find we can't get back inside. Worse if we get caught with no way to defend ourselves."

That was Harry's main concern. How could they defend themselves against a foe that could prevent them from using their one and only weapon, magic? There had to be a solution and he did not think it would be safe for them to attempt any reconnaissance missions until they found it. Harry hated to think of loosing someone out there if he could avoid it, at least not this early in the game.

Time had taught Harry some very harsh lessons. The first had been that he could not save everyone. Sure he could save a few but there were times when nothing was going to prevent losses. He had seen it too many times in his work as an Auror, and later as Minister of Magic. Sometimes the decisions you made cost people their lives, but hopefully they saved far more then they risked losing. It had been a hard truth for Harry to accept.

The other lesson that Harry always remembered was to always follow his instincts. Hermione had always doubted his instincts, or if not doubted then at least questioned. One hundred and seventy five years had taught Harry that his best tools when it came to solving a problem were his mind and his instincts. His guts usually supplied the clues that his mind needed in order to find solutions to problems he ran across. Hopefully it would work that way now in their present situation.

Walking into the kitchen, Harry saw Wulfric and Amelia sitting at one of the long tables eating lunch. Wulfric looked as if he was having a hard time staying awake and Harry's instincts immediately told him that his old friend was quickly running out of time. Ginny scooped Amelia up in her arms and the two started whispering back and forth, often glancing at Harry as if he could not see them.

_You're in trouble there, old friend._

"You mean those two," Harry asked as he sat down next to Wulfric.

_Amelia in particular. She has just informed me that you and Ginny are going to be her new parents._

Harry choked on the pumpkin juice he was sipping. Looking up suddenly he saw both Potter women looking at him with the same expression on their faces, a look that clearly said that they were wondering if he was quite right in the head. After a moment he smiled and turned back to Wulfric.

"How can she think something like that," Harry whispered. "We're far too old to raise a little girl again."

Wulfric turned and looked at Harry with an eyebrow cocked. Harry stopped and thought about what he had just said. Obviously they were not that old anymore thanks to Wulfric's spell, but did that make them any better suited to raise a little girl again? Looking at his wife and how she reacted to the child, he chuckled softly. Ginny had loved being a mother, a grandmother, and eventually a great-grandmother. It was a foregone conclusion that Ginny would love to raise the little girl. So, was he ready to be a father again?

Looking closely at Amelia, Harry could see the excitement in the little girl's eyes. Eyes that were the same color as Harry's own even after five hundred. However there was something in those eyes, a trace of sadness and longing that reminded him of his eyes in particular. He remembered, even now, looking into the mirror when he was a child and seeing that same expression every time. That sad look had not completely left his eyes until the day he finally admitted that he loved Ginny and never wanted to be away from her again. There had been a point when he had started to see it fade, he remembered that moment precisely. It had been the day he had met his real family, the Weasleys.

"Amelia," he said looking at the little girl. "How would you like it if Ginny and I were your mum and da?"

The look on the small girl's face was priceless. She seemed to blush and go pale all at once. At first she looked at Harry, then at Ginny as if she were trying to detect a joke at her expense. Finally she crawled down out of Ginny's lap and walked around the table to stand next to Harry. She climbed up onto the bench next to him and very seriously looked him in the eyes.

"You mean it," she asked after examining him for a moment.

"Well there would have to be some rules," he said trying not to laugh.

"What rules?"

He tried to look as if he were thinking very hard as he began to speak. "First of all you would have to want us to be your parents. Second, you would have to let us spoil you rotten. Finally, and this is very important, you have to let us love you like you were our very own daughter. You think you can follow those rules?"

Amelia was nodding so vigorously by the time Harry stopped talking that her head was nearly a blur of motion. Glancing over at Ginny, Harry saw that his wife had tears in her eyes as she watched him with the little girl. That was all the proof he needed that he had made the right decision.

"YES," screamed Amelia as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged Harry tightly.

A moment later they were joined by Ginny in a family hug that lasted for several minutes. There was a great deal of crying on the part of Ginny and the little girl as they sat there. Harry could see Wulfric smiling at them; he even gave Harry a nod of approval. Eventually they broke apart and spent the rest of lunch chatting and getting to know each other better. Amelia was positively glued to Harry's side throughout the meal, just as his daughter Lily had done when she was a little girl.

_Harry, would you mind helping me up to my room?_

Turning with a smile on his face, Harry was about to ask why the old gorilla was leaving so soon but the look on Wulfric's face stopped Harry cold. Gone was the gleam of happiness. Now there was a sense of pain and sadness radiating from his old friend. It was a look that instantly chilled Harry's heart.

"Now?"

_Yes, now would be a very good time._

Harry stood up and helped Wulfric to his feet. His old friend could barely stand and he was so heavy that Harry could barely lift him. Ginny saw that there was a problem and she rushed over to help. Together, Harry and Ginny finally got Wulfric to his feet but it was no good, the old gorilla was too heavy to carry up to his room. Harry pulled his wand and cast a levitation charm on Wulfric, and together they all made their way out of the kitchen and up to the Headmaster's office. Ginny carried Amelia as the little girl was now crying out of fear of what she did not fully understand.

_I'm sorry, Harry. It seems I overestimated my time._

"Don't say that," Harry said looking down into the old ape's eyes. "We'll get you back up on your feet in no time."

_You've always been a rotten liar about this, you know that don't you?_

"Look who's talking," Ginny said tearfully. "You once told the children that you were just going out for a walk. You left as a dog and six months later you returned as a kitten."

_Well I was traveling, so it wasn't that far of a stretch._

Ginny laughed softly, it was a watery and weak thing but it brought a smile to Wulfric's face. When they arrived at the Headmaster's office, Harry took Wulfric up first and then Ginny followed after with Amelia crying in her arms. The little girl had figured it out now and she kept asking Ginny if Wulfric would be back soon, she seemed almost afraid to ask him herself. It was only when Harry had Wulfric comfortably laying in his bed that Amelia seemed to find the ability to talk.

Crawling up into Wulfric's arms, she laid her head down on his great furry chest and smiled up into his eyes. "You promise me you'll be back, Uncle Wulfric?"

_I promise, Amelia. I'll be back just as soon as I can. Fawkes will come find me and bring me back to you._

"You're going to look different though, right?"

_Yes, I'll look different but I'll always be your Uncle Wulfric, and I'll always love you._

"I love you, too, Uncle Wulfric."

She leaned up and kissed Wulfric's shaggy cheek before Ginny lifted her up into her arms. Harry sat down on the edge of Wulfric's nest like bed and took his old friends hand tightly in his own.

"Seems we got here just in time to say goodbye," Harry said with tears in his eyes.

_I missed you two so much while you were gone. Now it seems I will have to wait a little longer before I can really be with you again. There is so much I still need to tell you… there is a diary on your desk that has most of it inside. Sean and the others can tell you the rest._

"I don't care about that right now," Harry said firmly.

_You have to care,__ Harry. It's important… you have to know… there's so much._

Wulfric's words were growing fainter now and Harry could see his friends eyes starting to dim. "Don't worry about that now. Just remember that you have family waiting for you here. We will always be waiting for you here. Always."

"Always," Ginny said laying a hand on top of Wulfric's.

"Always," said the small watery voice of Amelia.

_Always…_

With that last word, he was gone.


	8. The New Arrivals

**Chapter 8: The New Arrivals**

The day after Wulfric died was a very somber and lonely day for the three Potters. Amelia had cried all night long, only passing out from exhaustion as the first traces of sunlight crept across the eastern horizon. Ginny was not in much better shape. She had watched Wulfric die many times, but it never grew easier for her to deal with. She always feared that this time would be the time his curse would be broken and she would not see her old friend again. Harry understood completely because there was always that part of his mind that felt the same way.

After Amelia and his wife fell asleep in the room they shared, Harry made his way back to the Headmaster's quarters to prepare Wulfric's most recent body for burial. Long ago they had come to the realization that the body was not as important as the spirit it housed. Still, for Harry it always felt strange to deal with the body of a friend, even one that would return to them eventually. For that reason, Harry never just disposed of the bodies but instead made sure they received the rest they deserved.

Levitating the body down to the entrance of the school, Harry made his way out through the early morning mist to the edge of the lake. Clearing away the dirt and leaves from one of the larger boulders, he placed Wulfric's body on it gently. Harry was careful to arrange the body in a respectful manner before he climbed down and walked a few yards away. Turning to look one last time upon the remains of his friend, Harry waited until the first rays of sunlight touched the body. Then summoning up all his powers of concentration, Harry pointed the Elder Wand at his friend's body.

"Incendio!"

The resulting fire burned white hot as Harry focused all his power on it. He had long known that his magical abilities had grown considerably stronger after getting rid of the piece of Tom's soul that had been leaching off of Harry's magical ability. What shocked him was the fact that with the Elder Wand in his hands, his power seemed to have grown even stronger. In minutes the boulder was glowing cherry red from the heat of the fire Harry had created. Moments after that, the boulder actually seemed to be sagging slightly as if it were melting. Harry quickly stopped the spell but he could already see that the damage was done.

Not only had Wulfric's body been reduced to ashes, the boulder it had been sitting on was quickly sagging to the ground. Not knowing what else to do, Harry cast a restraining spell on the boulder to keep it from falling into the icy cold lake, which Harry was sure would create an even bigger problem. It was several minutes before the remains of the glowing boulder had cooled enough for him to be able to release his spell.

"Guess I need to learn to restrain myself a bit," Harry said dryly as he looked at the charred boulder. "Seems the Elder Wand adds a bit of a kick to my spells, I'll have to watch that."

Using a series of spells, Harry quickly formed the still soft boulder into a pillar of black stone. A final spell allowed him to carve Wulfric's name on the stone. Looking at his handiwork he was rather pleased with the final product. He had originally intended on scattering the ashes in the lake, but this worked just as well. Now there would be a lasting monument to the being that had done so much for the school, even if he would eventually return.

Walking back up to the school he looked around him and wondered what would become of Hogwarts. If he did not find a way to stop the BSA then eventually no one would be left to remember the place. Sooner or later the wards would fail and the BSA would destroy the last vestige of magic in the world. From what he had read in Wulfric's diary before bring the body down, Hogwarts was the last school for witches and wizards. Durmstrang had been utterly destroyed and all of its teachers and students killed when they had tried to fight off the BSA's forces.

Beauxbatons had been the next to fall although in their case, the faculty had surrendered in the hopes of saving the lives of their students. The teachers had been partially successful in the attempt. The faculty and board of governors had all been tried on charges of treason while the students were sent to "re-education" camps. At first the students were allowed contact with their families but in time they had also disappeared. No one knew what had happened to the children but Harry feared it was nothing good. The other wizarding schools around the world had fallen quickly after that. Many parents had tried to hide their children in an attempt to save them but the BSA had eventually found them all.

A sudden flash of flame on the path ahead of Harry drew his attention. Preening his feathers on a small rock sat Fawkes. The bird looked as if he had not completed maturing into an adult phoenix. Harry had to wonder what would bring the bird outside before he was ready.

"What's up," Harry asked as he drew even with Fawkes.

The great bird leapt into the air and landed on Harry's shoulder. Harry smiled at the reassuring warmth and pressure the phoenix's body provided. Together they continued to walk towards the school and Harry could only guess at the bird's motives. Fawkes had always been mysterious and this was no exception to the rule. It was only when they arrived at the main entrance that Harry noticed something out of the ordinary.

Two rather large trunks were sitting just inside the massive doors. Being made completely out of what looked like highly polished aluminum they trunks stood out easily from the stone and wood of the school.

"We have guests," Harry asked the phoenix.

With a nod of his head, the bird motioned towards the doors leading to the Great Hall. Harry could only assume that Fawkes wanted him to head inside. He had only taken a few steps when he heard the sound of music coming from inside. In fact, it was a song he remembered being popular shortly after he had finished his Auror training. Whoever was playing was doing a great job of it.

Stepping into the great hall as quietly as he could, Harry saw two young men sitting towards the front of the hall. One was sitting at a bench eating while the other was standing in front of the teachers table and playing what looked like a muggle electric guitar, only the guitar needed no amplifier. The hall was still dark so Harry made his ways through the shadows as quietly as possible, his wand drawn and ready for anything. Fawkes seemed to understand his desire to go unnoticed because he remained absolutely quiet on Harry's shoulder.

"Can't you turn that down a bit, Gregory," asked the young man at the table.

"I could, but what would be the fun in that," asked the other young man with a wide grin. "It's not like I'm disturbing anyone here."

Harry was close enough now to hear the unnamed young man mumble something as he returned to his meal. Harry was certain these young men were Weasleys from the vivid red color of their hair. They looked like twins, not surprising given the Weasley tendency for twin births. If the guitar player, Greg, was any indication then they were both about Ron's height and build. He was surprised at how young they look, eighteen years old at the most.

"You can come out of the shadows if you want," the young man at the table said politely. "We don't bite. Well I don't at any rate."

Laughing, Harry stepped out of the shadows and sat down across from the unknown Weasley. "I take it you're Weasleys?"

"Yeah," said Greg as he stopped playing to join them. "I'm Gregory, Greg to my admirers, and this is Lawrence. Everyone calls him Larry."

Larry held out his large hand to shake Harry's with a friendly smile. "Don't mind my brother. He actually thinks people like him."

"It's nice to meet you both," Harry said with a genuine smile. "I guess you got Wulfric's message?"

Greg nodded and looked around the room, "Yeah we did. Where is the old monkey?"

Harry's smile turned to a frown instantly and he wondered how best to explain the situation to the young men.

"He's gone already, isn't he," asked Larry with a trace of sorrow in his deep voice. "He said in his letter that his time was running out."

"We'll miss him," Greg said hanging his head. "That makes the whole lot now. First Peter, then mom and dad, and now Wulfric."

All three men sat quietly for a time. The news that the two young men had also lost their parents was a blow to Harry. It seemed that he was going to have to wade through a river of grief before he could even think of seeing a little hope on the far shore.

"Sorry," Larry said finally looking up. "We didn't catch your name."

"Oh, I'm Harry. Harry Potter."

Both young men stopped dead in their tracks as they looked up at Harry in utter amazement. If it had not been rather unnerving, Harry would have thought it funny to see the look of shock on their faces. Greg looked at his brother for a moment before finally turning to Harry.

"If you're really Harry Potter," he said cautiously, "how come you're not older? I mean a lot older?"

"And twenty feet tall with lightning bolts streaming from your eyes," added Larry.

"Yeah, and you're supposed to have dragon wings," Greg continued, "one red wing and one brown wing. Not to mention the fact that you are supposed to ride around on a thunderbolt."

Harry could not stop his laughter now. "I guess my reputation has gotten a little out of hand over the last few hundred years. Wulfric brought me and my wife back a few days ago, as for my age; I'm just the age I'm supposed to be. I never had wings and I've never been much taller than this. Oh, and it was a Firebolt broom, not a tame thunderbolt."

Looking at his brother with a foolish grin, Greg started to laugh as well. "See, don't we look foolish now for listening to those silly BSA twats? At least Wulfric managed to pull off his little spell before he had to go."

"Quite," Larry said looking seriously at Harry. "For the evilest wizard of all time, you seem like a rather likeable sort."

"'Evilest wizard'? Where do you get that idea from," Harry asked feeling a bit confused.

"Chalk it up to BSA historical revision," chuckled Greg.

Larry wiped a tired hand across his face before answering, "I take it that Wulfric did not mention to you that the BSA has been teaching everyone that you were the darkest wizard of all time. Children are taught that you were responsible for killing the greatest wizard of the age and that with his death the Wizarding world tried to enslave the Muggle population of the world."

"That's ridiculous," Harry said, his temper starting to rise. "I didn't kill Dumbledore, Snape did on Dumbledore's own orders."

The two young men looked at each other for a moment as if trying to figure out which one would speak next. Harry could almost feel how nervous they were about what they were going to say next and it did not help to calm him. Wulfric seemed to have taken a page from Dumbledore's book and started keeping secrets that he did not feel Harry was prepared to deal with.

"Spit it out, you two."

"Fine," said Larry with a note of resignation. "They aren't talking about Albus Dumbledore. The BSA teaches that he was just a bumbling fool, made Headmaster to keep him happy so better men could run the country."

"The wizard they are referring to is Lord Voldemort," continued the other brother. "He is said to have been the greatest hope for peace the Wizarding world ever knew, and you killed him in order to enslave the Muggle population."

Harry could barely keep his anger inside. It was bad enough that the BSA was making him out to be a bad guy. Worse still was the insult to the memory of Albus Dumbledore. Yet to make Tom out to be a hero and martyr was absolutely insane. If this was the type of thing they were teaching to the population of the world, he was in deeper trouble then he had originally thought.

"Voldemort was a scum sucking, psychopathic, megalomaniacal, goat buggering, murder from the moment he was first born," Harry finally roared. "He was torturing and killing innocent people before he ever even left school. He killed my parents and countless others just for fun!"

"Calm down," Larry said softly. "We know all of that. We learned our lessons here, as we grew up. Dumbledore and all the other portraits in the Headmaster's office were our teachers as we grew up, so we know the truth, Harry."

"Yeah," added Greg in a casual tone. "Just cool down, bro. We know what's up, so there's no need breaking a foot off in our asses."

Larry sighed and cast a disgusted look at his brother. "Pardon, Gregory. He forgets we were raised by decent parents, unlike the American hoodlums he so frequently associates with."

"Hey, they aren't hoodlums. I'll have you know that Zack owns a very successful business and his sister is an actress," said Greg looking rather less than convincing.

"Zack runs a massage parlor, and the closest his sister comes to acting is on a Friday night when she's in a dark alley with a customer…"

"Enough," barked Harry. "I get the idea but I don't have to like it."

"Like what," asked Ginny as she walked into the Great Hall. "I can hear you yelling halfway across the castle."

Turning as one, the two young Weasley men both whistled softly as Ginny made her way towards them. Thankfully she had dressed before coming to look for Harry. He was waiting for the day he saw her walking through the hallway starkers, just because she could and because it was something he suspected she had always wanted to do when she was attending school. Before he could say anything though, Ginny saw the two young men sitting with him and she seemed to freeze.

"Merlin," Greg said poking his brother in the back. "Have you ever seen anything like that before?"

"Never, Greg," said the other brother. "I was fairly certain they were just a myth."

"Surely you've seen women before," giggled Ginny, her sense of composure returning.

"Not a Weasley woman," both brothers said at once.

"They don't exist except in fairy tales," whispered Greg.

"Old history texts, more like," added his brother.

"I assure you," Harry said finally feeling his temper fade. "She's absolutely real. If you don't believe me then get on her bad side and let her hex you a few times."

"Behave, Harry," his wife said gently.

The two young men stood up slowly, towering over Ginny by head and shoulders. Walking over to her they each held out a hand to her with shy expressions on their faces. Ginny shook both their hands before she walked around the table to sit next to Harry. He could tell that the young men were making Ginny nervous.

"So," she said trying to break the silence. "I'm Ginny. Who are you?"

"Larry," Greg said pointing to his brother.

"Greg," Larry said pointing at Greg. "You're famous in our family."

Harry had to laugh. Suddenly the three Weasleys were talking a mile a minute. Ginny was telling the boys all about her family and comparing notes to their history. It seemed that they were directly descended from George and his wife, Gwen, a fact that brought a large smile to both Harry and Ginny's faces. The boys informed her that the Weasley family had been one of the first to go into hiding at that although they were the last of George's line; they were sure that there were still other members of the family hiding out in the world even now.

They talked like that for an hour or more before Harry, his arse having gone numb from sitting still for so long, finally got up to summon some food. It was at precisely that moment that he saw a red blur of hair running at him. For a moment he had a flashback of Lily when she was little and how she used to run at him the same way, but then he blinked the image away and scooped up the little ball of energy.

"You feel better, pumpkin," he asked as he hugged the little girl tightly.

"Yes," she said snuggling into his arms. "I talked to Sean and the others and he reminded me that Uncle Wulfric would be back. I can wait a little while if I know he's going to come back to me."

"Of course you can," Harry said as he carried Amelia over to the table. "I want you to meet some people."

"No ghosts, right," she asked looking up at him seriously.

"No ghosts," Harry assured her.

The introduction to the Weasley boys was a resounding success. It took only a few moments for Amelia to have both the young men wrapped securely around her fingers. The complimented her on her hair, and she informed them that their brother Peter had told her it was the nicest hair he had ever seen. The shadow that crossed the two men's faces only lasted for a moment before they were laughing and carrying on again. Ginny talked Greg into playing some music for them and Amelia put on a little dance show as he played. Then Larry pulled out a pad of paper and a Muggle pen with which he drew a beautiful picture of the young girl that he gave to her to put on her wall.

Harry soaked it all in. It had not started out as a good day, not with the death of his friend and the news about what the BSA was teaching children about him. Still, sitting here surrounded by his family and new friends, Harry felt content. Of course he knew he would have to eventually do something about the current situation, but for the moment he just wanted to enjoy himself.

"Harry," Ginny asked eventually. "Where did Fawkes go? He was here a minute ago and now he's gone."

"He said he would be right back," Amelia said from Greg's lap where she was learning how to play guitar.

Harry looked over at her for a moment with a puzzled expression on his face. "What do you mean; he told you he would be right back?"

"Just that," she answered looking up at Harry. "He always tells me what he's doing. He said he had to run an errand and that he would be back shortly. What's so strange about that?"

"Nothing, poppet," Harry said with a smile.

Ginny was looking at him and he reached under the table to wag his finger against her thigh, their age old signal for keeping silent in front of the children. She nodded, and turned back to her conversation as Harry looked closely at Amelia, who was happily trying to learn how to finger a chord on the neck of the guitar. However Greg was looking up at Harry with an obvious question in his eyes which Harry could only answer with a shake of his head for the moment.

Obviously there was something going on here that Harry did not understand. He wished that Hermione were there so he could ask her about the bond that a phoenix established with a person. He figured it was always possible that the bird had bonded to the girl, she was a very loving soul but he had never heard Dumbledore talk about speaking to Fawkes or vice versa. It was something Harry was going to have to look into, and soon.

Almost on cue there was a flash of fire from outside the doors to the great hall. A second later they heard a young woman shriek. Suddenly they were all running for the doors. Obviously Fawkes had brought someone else into the castle but something had to be wrong for them to be making a sound like that. What he saw when he exited the Great Hall was not what he had expected though.

The first thing Harry saw as he ran into the room was a very long pair of tanned legs attached to a very nicely proportioned rear end pointing right at him and the others. The young lady they were attached to had evidently stumbled over her trunk when she landed and her rather short skirt was currently gathered around her waist. He was just about to say something when Ginny suddenly elbowed him rather firmly in the ribs.

"Put your eyes back where they belong, Mr. Potter," she said in a tone that did not invite argument.

"Nice," Greg said as he casually walked over to help the young lady to her feet. "Allow me to assist you."

Reaching down, Greg helped the young woman to her feet. She was about seventeen or eighteen years old from the look of her face. Although Harry found it rather hard not to look at the rest of her as well, something Greg was not having as good of luck with. Standing only slightly taller than Ginny, the young woman wore a white sundress that revealed a great deal of her tanned skin. Her sun bleached hair hung down to her thighs and her eyes, vibrantly blue eyes, looked out from under her bangs as she tried to make herself look presentable.

"I'm Elizabeth Longbottom," she said rather shyly. "Uncle Wulfric sent a letter telling my family we were needed here. My brother and his wife couldn't come because she's having a baby, and my mother is ill so she's staying home as well. So, here I am. Now if you will just tell Uncle Wulfric that I'm here, I'm sure we can straighten out this problem whatever it is."

"All that in one breath," Greg said with a wink to his brother.

"I noticed."

"Welcome, Elizabeth," Harry said walking over to greet their newest arrival. "Let me introduce myself, I'm Harry…"

"Potter," she finished for him. "That's your wife Ginny Potter. Don't let the looks fool you, I may be pretty but I'm not stupid."

"Not modest either," Larry muttered.

"I heard that," the young woman said rounding on him. "I remember you two from before we moved to South America. You're the Weasley twins, Gregory and Lawrence. You used to tease me all the time when we were children. I see you haven't changed any and I know what people think when they see how I look. Better to get them to look past the body and focusing on my mind before they get the wrong idea."

"Wrong idea about what," Larry fired right back. "Don't want them thinking you're a decent person so you show them you can be a bitch right away. No worries there, little girl."

"Little girl," she shrieked.

"Enough," bellowed Harry. "If I want to listen to people bickering, I'll let you know. Until then you can bloody well shut it!"

Harry secretly thought he had just seen the start of yet another relationship that would take forever to reveal itself, but that was not important at the moment. He quietly explained the current situation to their newest guest. The news of Wulfric's death seemed to shake her confidence, and she had to sit down on her trunk when her legs threatened to give way. He did notice that it was Larry who rushed to her side when she looked ready to fall. Greg just looked at his brother for a moment before shaking his head and walking away from the young man and woman. Harry felt rather sad for Greg at that moment.

"I'm sorry, Professor Potter," Elizabeth finally said. "I was just trying to show that I'm not a thing, but a person."

"I understand," Harry said kindly. "Just do me a favor?"

"Yes, Professor?"

Ginny giggled at the sound of her husband being called Professor, but he silenced her with a glance. "Don't call me Professor anymore? I'm just Harry until we have some actual students here at Hogwarts, ok?"

The young girl smiled up at him and nodded. Amelia who had been hiding behind Harry's legs during the whole conversation finally stuck her head out. Elizabeth smiled down at the little girl and that seemed to be all the encouragement Amelia needed. Walking over she reached out and touched Elizabeth's arm gently.

"Did someone paint you," she asked in a very serious tone of voice.

"No," laughed the young woman. "It's just very sunny where I live so my skin is a bit darker then yours."

"It's really pretty," Amelia said walking back over to Harry so he could pick her up. "Of course it would be prettier if you had red hair like me."

Everyone was laughing at that point. Harry hugged the little girl in his arms tightly as they all started talking a bit more civilly. Elizabeth apologized again for being such a spoiled brat, and then she told them about her family back in South America. They had lived in a small settlement of British families, mostly witches and wizards hiding from the BSA, up until about a year ago when a BSA raid had surprised them. Many of the families in the settlement had been arrested but a few, including Elizabeth's, had managed to escape to caves in the surrounding mountains. Unfortunately her father had not been so lucky and now her mother was growing sicker by the day.

"But my brother, Eric, and his wife are ok," she said trying to sound happier then she looked. "They found a little valley up in the mountains where they will be safe until after the baby is born. After that, maybe Fawkes can bring them here?"

"I'm sure that can be arranged," Ginny said patting the young girl's hand.

Harry noticed though that Fawkes was looking at him oddly. He tried to ask the bird what was wrong with only his expression and to his surprise the bird shook his head as a single tear ran down his face. Harry suddenly knew what the bird meant; it was already too late for Elizabeth's family. He wondered if she knew and was just pretending not to, or if she honestly had no idea that the rest of her family was dead already. He would have to ask Ginny to try and talk to her.

"We've got one problem," Larry said looking over at Harry. "We were sharing a wand up until last week when it finally broke. Where we lived, there was no magical underground or anything like that where we could get new ones. So, we're going to need to go shopping on the black market, and soon."

"Me too," added Elizabeth. "I've always used my mom's and since I didn't' want to leave her without one, I left it with her."

"Good thing you've got the keys to the store, dad," Ginny giggled. "Otherwise the kids might be in trouble when they show up for classes without their supplies."

"True," Harry said looking at the three newcomers. "I'd hate to have to send them home from their first day of lessons."

"Hey, we're not that much younger then you," Elizabeth said with a hint of her previous attitude.

"Calm down," Harry said with a chuckle. "It's a joke, and for your information, we're technically over six hundred and some odd years old, so you really are that much younger than us. So there."

The look on the young woman's face was priceless. Whether it was the realization that Harry and Ginny were that old, or simply the fact that he had stuck his tongue out at her like a little boy, she looked as if she had just swallowed a bottle of U-No-Poo. Ginny whispered something in the girl's ear and then they were both giggling and the awkward moment was past.

"Come on," Harry said leading them up the stairs to the second floor. "We've got some shopping to do. Everyone stick together and do as your mother says."

"That's right," Ginny giggled. "Otherwise it's no supper for you tonight and I'll make your father sing you to sleep."

"Anything but that," said all three of the newcomers at once.

And just like that they were a family. Harry had no idea what the future was going to hold for all of them. What he did know was that whatever they would face, no matter how long it took, they would face the future together as a family. Amelia hugged him tightly and as if to prove his point she kissed his cheek and smiled at him.

"You did good, daddy."


	9. London Calling

**Chapter 9: London Calling**

Things quickly settled into a comfortable routine as the days turned to weeks. Harry had moved the small group into Gryffindor Tower, everyone receiving their own dormitory to stay in since there were no students. Larry and Greg had made an issue of not wanting to share a room when Harry suggested the idea to them.

"I already share the guys face," Greg had said chuckling. "I would rather not have to share a room with him as well."

"Besides," Larry added in his usual deadpan tone of voice, "he snores and I'll never get any sleep with him in the room."

It seemed that the two Weasley boys had radically different personalities. While Greg was outgoing and always had something humorous to say, Larry was quiet and thoughtful. According to Greg, his brother had grown more serious after the death of their parents. Of course Larry insisted that Greg had been the one to change, becoming more reckless and carefree. If Harry had to guess he would have had to say that both boys had undergone a change of personalities after their loss. So long as it did not cause him problems, Harry felt he could deal with it.

Elizabeth was a completely different situation entirely. After moving into her room in the girl's dormitories, Ginny had spent several days helping the young woman to decorate her new room. The two of them had spent the time talking almost nonstop. It was a little over a week after moving Elizabeth into her room that Ginny had urgently summoned Harry to the girl's room. Running into the room Harry had found both young women crying on the floor, holding each other tightly. Ginny had only managed to point at Elizabeth's open trunk before she dissolved into fresh tears.

Harry was shocked to find that the trunk contained only a pair of worn out sandals and an extra sundress, the rest of it was filled with large rocks to give it the appearance that it contained something. When Harry asked the young woman about it she threw herself into his arms and spent an hour crying and babbling incoherently into his shoulder. From what he was able to piece together, Elizabeth's family had all been killed a few days before Wulfric's letter had arrived. The BSA had raided the settlement just as she had told them before, but she had been the only member of her family to escape. Her mother had pushed her into the river that ran behind their house and then rushed at the BSA forces to distract them long enough for her daughter to float out of sight.

By the time Elizabeth had been able to make her way home, it was too late to do anything for her family. All that had been left of the settlement was a smoking collection of rubble and bodies. Finding the remains of her family, she had buried them in the garden of their home and then made her way up into the mountains to a small hut her brother had kept stocked with food in case of emergencies. When Wulfric's letter arrived the next day she had been afraid to even respond for fear that the BSA would find her.

"I was just about to give up when Fawkes arrived," she sobbed. "I had filled an old trunk with rocks and I was going to tie it to my leg and…"

"It's ok," Harry gently whispered as he rocked the crying girl in his arms. "You're here now. We're family and we take care of our own."

It was hours later when Harry finally carried the young woman to her bed and tucked her in. Grief and exhaustion had finally claimed her and Harry thought it was probably for the best. Summoning one of the house elves, Harry instructed that Elizabeth was not to be left alone while she slept and should she wake up for any reason he was to be summoned immediately. He would have liked to give her a potion to prevent her from dreaming but the hospital ward stores were empty.

"Fucking BSA," Harry swore as he and Ginny entered their room. "All they do is kill."

"We'll stop them somehow," said Ginny as she wrapped her arms around him. "We'll find a way."

"She's been transfiguring things into clothing, hasn't she," he asked finally as the anger was replaced by sorrow.

"She lost everything," Ginny said nodding her head. "Literally all she owns is the clothes on her back. Her family is gone and now she's come here to fight for their memory. We cannot fail her, Harry."

Harry had nothing he could say to that. The faith that everyone seemed to put in his ability to stop an organization that spanned the globe was more than a little daunting sometimes. He felt that the time was quickly approaching when he was going to have to get a closer look at what he was facing.

"We've got to get a look at the BSA," he said later that night when they were all gathered in the common room. "Until I have a better idea of what we're facing, I can't make any plans."

"It's not pretty out there, Harry," Greg said as the smile he constantly wore slid off his face.

"You won't be able to tell anyone your real name," continued Larry. "The old wizarding family names are constantly being listened for. The Weasleys have gone by the name of West for several years because of it."

"Very dashing," giggled Ginny.

"I can use the name Ron and I came up with when we were working on field duty, James Green."

"And what will my name be," Ginny asked playfully.

"I don't think you should go this time," Larry said very softly before hurrying to explain himself before Ginny could start yelling. "It's going to be hard enough to keep Harry from sticking out. If we had to try and hide the both of you, the BSA would be breathing down our necks almost immediately."

"He's right," added Greg as he sat cleaning his guitar. "One of us should go with Harry and the other should stay here to help you in case anything goes wrong. That way Harry will have someone to help him fit in, and you'll have someone here to help rescue them if things go wrong."

"Alright," Ginny grumbled. "I'll stay here for now but I'm not going to like it."

Harry watched the two Weasley boys maneuver his wife as if they had been at it for years. He knew that Ginny could handle herself in a fight but he was still worried about taking her out into the world beyond the walls of Hogwarts. Out there the BSA was more than just a concept they could safely hate from their warm beds. Past those walls the BSA was a true force for evil that had the ability to deprive them of the very magic that could possibly save their lives. Of course he would never tell her that he felt this way.

Over the next few days Harry spent most of his days training with the others down in the Great Hall. Elizabeth even began to come down to train with them after Amelia spent most of one day curled up in bed with the young woman. After that, Elizabeth seemed to find focus in training. This was something she could do that provided a goal she could understand. When the others finished for the day, she would continue practicing until Harry would finally be forced to make her stop and eat something before she would pass out from exhaustion.

"If I had been prepared," she told him one day in the middle of their training, "I could have saved my family."

Having finally had enough of her self-pity, Harry snapped. "That's a load of dragon dung, and you know it. You would have died just like them. I'm sorry, but it's true."

Harry's words hit Elizabeth like a fist and all the air seemed to rush out of her as she dropped to the floor, pale and in shock. Larry ran to her side and glared murderously at Harry as he tried to comfort the shaken young woman. Even Ginny seemed taken aback by Harry's sudden bluntness, she even went so far as to point her wand at him with an expression that made it clear he had better explain himself. He knew what she wanted from him, but Harry was not going to pamper these young people just because it made them feel good about themselves.

"What," he finally asked looking around at all of them. "Do you want me to lie to you and tell you that I've never seen anyone as talented as you lot? Well I have, and a damn sight better to boot."

Elizabeth started to cry and Harry just looked at her, "You think you can prove me wrong? Then prove it! Come on, come at me! Right now!"

It was a sign of how upset they all were with him, which had been exactly how he wanted them to feel, when four wands suddenly turned on him at once. Leaping backwards as he cast a shield charm in front of him, Harry noted where everyone was positioned as their four spells harmlessly bounced off his shield. He even noted that Amelia was sitting on the long teachers table watching what was going on with a look of confusion on her face. Landing on his feet he rolled forward under the next set of spells before casting four stunning hexes so quickly they seemed more like one spell. Each of his spells found their mark and he watched as his four opponents fell numbly to the ground.

"Five seconds," he thought as he stood up. "Better than I expected."

Harry had been trained by the best during his lifetime. He had spent years training with Ron and Kingsley, even Hermione and Ginny had helped him to hone his skills. Still, when it really came down to it the one thing that truly motivated Harry was his desire to prevent anyone from dying for him. To that end he had practiced on his own until he could honestly say that there were very few wizards that could defeat him.

"That was really neat," Amelia said from where she sat watching. "You moved so fast I could barely see you. Mum's going to be really upset when she wakes up though."

"Better mad than dead," he thought before smiling up at his adopted daughter. "I've had a lot of practice, pumpkin. Now come over here and I'll teach you a useful little spell."

The small girl jumped down off the table and ran over to stand next to Harry, her brand new wand in her hand. Ginny had not been happy with Harry's decision that Amelia should begin learning magic a year earlier then was strictly allowed. He had to remind his wife that there was no one left to tell him what he could and could not teach the little girl anymore, that in fact as the Headmaster of Hogwarts he basically had the last say in the matter. His wife had not been very happy about the situation but had eventually taken the girl to pick out her very first wand, Cherry, Unicorn hair, nine and a half inches.

"Ok," Harry said holding his wand out so she could follow his movement. "The spell is 'Rennervate' and you move your wand like this."

Harry demonstrated the proper wand motion and then watched her do it. He had her practice for several minutes until he was confident that she had the pronunciation and motion right. When he was positive she could do it, Harry followed her around as she woke in turn. Amelia was so excited by her newfound ability that Harry thought at any moment she might start flying around the room.

"Great job, pumpkin," he said kneeling down next to her and hugging her tightly. "That's your job from now on, when we're done you wake everyone up."

"Sure thing, daddy," she said kissing his cheek as his lifted her up in his arms.

Ginny was watching all of this with a rather strained expression on her face as the other got groggily to their feet. As they realized what had happed, the Weasleys and Elizabeth each looked rather crestfallen due to how badly, and quickly, they had been defeated. Harry knew it was a harsh lesson for them but it was one they needed to learn. Now they would work harder and a little embarrassment now might save their lives later.

"Five second," he said finally. "You lasted five seconds in a real duel against a single opponent."

"You're a lot more experienced than we are," Greg growled, looking ready to start fighting again at any second.

"I had less experience then you when I first faced Voldemort in a duel," he said as he carried Amelia around to look in each of their faces. "It wasn't experience that helped me win then and it wasn't experience that helped me win now. Your own overconfidence was all I needed to win."

Walking over to Greg he smiled at the young man, "When you play your guitar you are full of energy and creativity. I can actually see that creativity shining though your eyes then. Yet when you fight there is no creativity and I can predict every move you're going to make. Think of your wand as another guitar and learn to be just as creative with it when you duel."

Greg looked at him with dawning understanding. "I'll do it, Harry."

"I know you will," Harry said to him before turning to look at Larry. "You take too long to cast your spells. I can see you thinking about every action you are going to make, like in a chess game. There's nothing wrong with having a plan but you need to learn to trust your instincts as well. Trusting your gut reactions will give you the speed you need when you are fighting because the time to think about the battle is not always during the battle. I'll help you to figure out which is which."

Larry nodded to Harry as he watched his teacher turn to face his wife. "Sorry, Gin. I could tell you were holding back when you cast your hex at me. You can't worry about hurting your opponent, not even me, because a real enemy is not going to worry about doing worse to you."

"Oh, no worries there, dear," she said with an angelic smile and a voice like an ice cold dagger. "I won't be holding back next time, count on it."

"Good," he said with a smile.

Turning to face Elizabeth was the hardest part of all of this. She looked completely ashamed of herself and tears glistened in her eyes as she watched him approach. Setting Amelia down on her feet, Harry did something that he doubted the young woman expected, he hugged her. Harry pulled her close as he had done his own daughter many times, letting her cry into his shoulder until she could look him in the eye.

"Listen, Liz," he said using the nickname he knew she hated. "You told me about how you used to love to dance. How music made you feel like you could float on the air when you heard it. Yet when you start casting spells you let your body go stiff and that makes you slow. You need to hear the music of the duel in your head and dance to the flow of it, become fluid and graceful so you can dodge the spells coming at you and so that your movements become faster."

"Hear the music of the duel," she whispered and nodded.

"I'm not angry with any of you," he said looking around again. "I just don't want to lose any more people then we already have. If that means I have to teach you the hard way how to win, then that's what I'm going to do. If it saves your lives, I'll be more than happy to let you hate me."

"Let's go again then," Larry said enthusiastically.

"Right on," Greg said clapping his brother on the back.

"Be more fluid," murmured Elizabeth, "and no one calls me, Liz."

"You're going down, old man," growled Harry's wife.

"Ok then. Amelia will tell us when to start," he said lifting the small girl back up onto the staff table. "Be sure to duck, pumpkin."

"Go," screamed Amelia before he had even finished turning around.

Years of training had prepared him for situations like this. His wand was back in his hand before the first spell was uttered. Casting another shield charm in front of him, Harry deflected two stunners from either side as he charged directly at Greg. Ginny attempted to dive past his shield and hit him from behind, but was struck by Larry's disarming charm that Harry had just run past. Greg dove out of Harry's way just before Harry spun around and fired two stunning charms that stuck him and Elizabeth cleanly. Then for good measure, Harry disarmed Larry and caught the young man's wand in his free hand.

"Six second," Harry said tossing Larry his wand. "Wake 'em up, pumpkin."

"That was amazing, Harry," Larry said pocketing his wand.

"Yes it was, Harry," agreed Ginny. "Someone has been holding back all these years and we're going to have a very nice conversation about that aren't we, Mr. Potter."

"Yes, dear."

That night Harry was reminded just how much like her mother Ginny really was. The fact that the others found him sleeping on one of the couches in the common room was a fairly good indication that he had not been so easily forgiven after that conversation. In fact it took him a full two days, and a very large chocolate cake, to get back into his own room finally. Even then Harry made sure to be especially nice and loving around his wife.

They spent the next week drilling constantly. Harry noticed a drastic improvement as each duel lasted longer than the previous one. He spent a great deal of time reviewing their improvements and their mistakes until he felt confident that they were on their way to being able to take care of themselves. One thing he noticed with Larry, Greg, and Elizabeth was how few spells they actually knew. He originally assumed this was due to the fact that they had received only basic instruction from their family. It was only when he was talking to Elizabeth one night that he discovered the truth.

"My mom taught me every spell she knew," she had been saying. "She just didn't know that many spells to begin with."

It was the same with Greg and Larry. Their parents had learned magic from their parents and so on. Even though they had lived at Hogwarts for much of their lives, neither family had really used the resources of the school figuring that the BSA could counter their magic anyway. They had lost faith in the very thing that might have helped them the most.

So began a new series of lessons, this time taught by Ginny. Each night, after they had finished drilling with Harry for the day, they would gather in the old transfiguration classroom. Ginny found copies of the basic spell books and began instructing them in the use of some of first year spells. Luckily they picked the spells up quickly so she was able to speed them through many of the lessons with ease.

While Ginny taught the others, Harry spent his nights in the Headmaster's office talking with the portraits of the former Heads. With their help he planned an accelerated curriculum that could be used to help bring everyone up to an acceptable OWL level proficiency before Christmas. After that he would see if he thought they could handle NEWT level magic. Dumbledore suggested that the Heads do most of the teaching right in the Headmaster's office, so they could cover all the major topics as easily as possible. Harry quickly agreed and even thought it might be best for Ginny and himself to sit in on some of the classes they felt they were rusty in.

"Harry," Dumbledore added as an afterthought. "I believe it would be wise if you also taught them Legilimency and Occlumency. It may be just a foolish old man's fears, but we do not know what you will face outside these walls and I think it best if we prepared them for anything they might encounter."

"I think it's a good idea, Albus," Harry said as he thought it over. "Anyone else have any suggestions?"

Sean cleared his throat, still nervous about talking around Harry, "I think you might also want to think about taking emergency portkeys with you. Have them set to return you here automatically if something should go wrong."

"That's a wonderful idea, Sean," McGonagall said smiling at her associate.

"Ok," Harry said smiling up at the portraits. "I'll make sure we both have one when we leave."

Harry had spent a great deal of time planning his trip to London. It had been decided that Larry would accompany him and that Fawkes would transport them as close to the Muggle city as possible. If at all possible they hoped to sneak into the city unnoticed before dawn and then sneak back out after sunset that night. That would give them plenty of time to look around and would also allow them to mingle into the normal crowds making it harder for anyone to spot them.

Greg had brought a Muggle men's magazine down, he blushed rather furiously when Ginny and Elizabeth looked at it swearing that he only had it for the articles. Whatever his reasons for having the magazine, it was new enough that they could use the clothing advertisements as templates. Ginny quickly transfigured a few old blankets into two very nice suits of men's clothing that made Larry and her husband look rather handsome, but not so flashy that they stood out in a crowd.

"You have to be careful," Ginny had told him the night before they were to leave as they lay in bed together. "I can't do this without you."

Pulling her close, Harry kissed her and smiled. "I'll be fine, Gin. I'm just going to look around and see what I can. We'll be back by tomorrow night, I promise."

"You better or I'll never forgive you," she said with a tremor in her voice.

He knew that Ginny was scared; she had every right to be. He was walking into the lion's den with nothing to protect him if things went wrong except his wits and his instincts. Holding Ginny close until she finally drifted off to sleep, Harry lay there for a long time praying that he would not break his promise to her. He might have done things he was not proud of, but he had yet to break a promise to the woman he loved and he was not about to start now if he could help it.

The next morning dawned far too early in Harry's opinion. After a taking a quick bath and getting dressed, Ginny walked with Harry down to the kitchen for some breakfast. His "modern" clothes really did not look that modern to him, but they did feel uncomfortable as he walked. He was reminded of an article on Muggle Capital Punishment that quoted a condemned prisoner as saying "the nicest silk shirt on the planet will still feel like a noose around your neck when you take that last walk." Harry knew what that man meant now.

The others were waiting for them when they reached the kitchen. Eating in silence they all seemed to be thinking about the adventure, and the danger to come. Even Amelia seemed on edge, clinging to Harry almost as if she thought to let him go would be to never see him again. As far as Harry knew, she could be right.

"Come on," he finally said looking over at Larry.

"Right," answered the young man.

Together they walked up to the Headmaster's office, everyone else following closely behind them. When they entered Harry's office, Fawkes was already ready and waiting for them. Ginny did not seem to be able to control her fear any longer and she nearly tackled Harry.

"I love you, you prat," she sobbed as he held her tightly.

"I love you, too, you old nag."

Harry leaned down and kissed his only love deeply and with all the love he could muster. When they finally broke apart, Ginny turned and hugged Larry tightly before walking to the far side of the room. Amelia was next, hugging Harry tightly and kissing his cheek before doing the same to Larry. Greg just smiled at both of them before scooping Amelia up in his arms and walking over to stand next to Ginny.

Elizabeth was the last to approach them. She walked over to Harry and hugged him tightly, then turned to Larry and hugged him as well. However, as she turned away she glanced back at him over her shoulder and smiled.

"Come back safely," she said softly. "Do that and I might change my mind."

"Then I'll make sure of it," said the young man with a wide grin on his face.

With a last smile at their friends, Harry held out his arm for the phoenix. Fawkes landed gently there and Larry took a firm hold on the bird's tail feathers as Harry did the same. With a sudden burst of smoke and flame, the two men were gone.

"Come back soon, my love," Ginny whispered as she watched the last traces of smoke disappear.


	10. The Underground

**Chapter 10: The Underground**

Looking around at the sights around him, this was not the London that Harry remembered, the plain and simple truth was that this was a war zone. The buildings were all in various stages of collapse and the roads were littered with the debris of burned out cars and the accumulated garbage of years. Scattered amongst all the chaos were patches of nature gone wild, grass and shrubs overgrowing what had once been the heart of a great city.

"My, God," Harry whispered in shock. "What happened here?"

Larry was climbing over a large pile of rubble, looking back over his shoulder the young man smiled sadly at his companion. "The entire old city looks like this. The BSA claimed there was a magical guerilla group hiding in the city and declared war on them."

Larry pointed at the darkened ruin of one of the buildings on the far side of the street. At first Harry could not understand what he was looking at. The front of the building was gone, yet there was a strange cavern like feeling to the ruins. It was almost as if the inside of the building had been larger than the outside. Suddenly Harry saw something that turned his blood cold, a faded sign that he had once known very well.

"The Leaky Cauldron," he said, walking over to the sign and brushing away the accumulated dirt. "This was the first magical place I ever saw as a young child."

"Yeah," Larry said as he walked over to stand next to Harry. "BSA troops knew the place was filled with civilians but they claimed the terrorists were hiding inside. They blew the Cauldron wide open, killing everyone inside; they tore through it and into Diagon Alley. Their real target was Gringotts and the gold hidden inside of it. Anything that got in their way, they destroyed and that included innocent people."

"Why all the rest of this," Harry asked, gesturing around at all the carnage and destruction.

There was no real explanation that Larry could give in order to answer Harry's question, although he tried many times as they walked through the ruins of London. It was just too hard to explain it all. The level of destruction surrounding them could not be explained, save to an insane man. The addition of the strange half-light that surrounded them did not help Harry to understand what he was seeing.

Looking up at the skyline as they silently made their way along the cracked and cratered streets, Harry saw the enormous tower of glass and steel that dominated the horizon. The structure was so large that he had originally assumed that it was much closer then it was. He had thought they must reach it at any moment, yet each step only seemed to add to the buildings vastness. It was only slowly that Harry realized that they were still miles from the building and that they were walking through its gigantic shadow.

Pointing at the structure, Harry finally asked the question that was plaguing his mind. "What is that thing?"

"That's London Tower," Larry said glancing at it. "After the BSA effectively destroyed London, they had to do something about all the refugees living in the streets. A group of ambitious architects were gathered from all over the world and they came up with the idea for that little piece of Hell on Earth. The BSA loved the idea because it put everyone under their thumb, making it far easier to control everyone. Of course, by the time they had enough of it built to start moving people in over a quarter of the refugee population was dead from starvation, exposure, and outright violence."

"You telling me that's the only livable building in all of London," Harry asked in shock.

"And not just here," said Larry shaking his head. "The BSA had them built all over the world. Most of the major cities of the world are now one or two towers just like this one. It made it a lot easier for the BSA to weed out the undesirables when they are all housed under the same roof."

Pointing to the half-hidden entrance to the London Underground, he led Harry down into the cavern like entrance. Harry for his part remained silent and followed his companion, his mind thinking over what he had been told so far. When they reached the bottom of the stairs they squeezed through a set of rusted metal gates and into the darkness beyond. Harry was just about to pull out his wand when dim red emergency lights flickered on in the darkness.

"When the BSA attacks first started the locals started hiding down here in the Underground," Larry said as he made his way through the eerily quiet tunnels. "They rigged up solar lights to work when the power was cut off. Finally, when there was no place else to live, they moved down here full time."

Harry looked around at the sad traces of semi permanent shelters that had been built along the walls. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust, only the tracks of rats showing that anything had lived down here in ages. Still, Harry could see the discarded belongings of the people that once lived here. Pictures hung on the walls of some of the shelters, showing the fade images of happier times for the people that had once lived here. This had been a horrible place to live, but Harry could see that they had tried to make the best of it.

"What happened to the people that lived down here," he asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the memories that were thick in the air around him.

"The BSA finally started moving people into the Tower," said the young man as he jumped of the platform they were standing on and down to where the tracks had once been. "They offered food and comfort to people that were starving and desperate. There were riots and everyone ran, leaving behind everything they had ever cared about. In the end, that first group ended up being used as slaves to build the Tower, more than two thirds of them getting killed in the process."

Harry could almost understand the desire to leave this place. He had only been down in these cursed tunnels a short time, and he already felt the need to escape. If this place was anything to go by, the lives of these people had been the next best thing to living in Hell that Harry could imagine. It the smell that still lingered thick in the air was any indication, Hell would have at least smelled better.

"Peter died down here," Larry said breaking the oppressive silence. "He was down here trying to help people escape from the Tower and one of these fucking tunnels collapsed on him. He's still down here someplace since we couldn't find his body under all the rubble."

"I'm sorry, Larry," was all that Harry could think to say.

"Not your fault," Larry said looking at him with a strangely cold smile. "He was doing what he thought was best, helping people that couldn't help themselves. Things just didn't work out the way he planned."

Silence fell over them again as they continued to walk further and further into the darkness of the tunnel. Occasionally they passed deserted platforms, long ago converted into communal kitchens and washrooms. For some reason Harry felt the need to look for the names of the platforms each time. Temple, Blackfriars, Mansion House, Cannon Street, and eventually Monument passed behind them in the darkness. The tunnel had been converted into a series of small brick shelters built against one wall, a narrow path on the other. At first Harry had felt the need to look inside the little brick structures, the insides all looking much the same with a rack of beds stacked against the far wall and shelves for storage on the other.

Harry stopped looking in the small dwellings when he found one that was not completely empty. At first it was too dark inside to see anything clearly, but then after a moment his eyes adapted to the gloom and he realized the bed was still occupied. There, eternally holding each other, were two skeletons. One was much larger than the other was, Harry assumed the parent of the smaller figure. It was the shape of a plastic baby doll, neatly tucked under the small arm bones of the smaller skeleton that brought burning tears to Harry's eyes.

"Not everyone wanted to give up their freedom," Larry said looking over Harry's shoulder. "If they hadn't all been Muggles, this place would probably be thick with their ghosts. If we are grateful for nothing else about this place, we should be grateful for that."

When Harry had originally thought about exploring London he had expected it to be much the same as he remembered it. Now that he was here, Harry realized how big of a fool he had been. The BSA was a force for pure evil, no matter what they might claim to the contrary. Expecting them to stop their quest for power with the destruction of the Wizarding world had been a naïve dream on his part. He had underestimated their disregard for human life, and he would not make that same mistake again if he could help it.

"See those blue lights ahead," Larry asked a little further along the tunnel. "That's where the anti-magic field kicks in. The Tower sewer entrance is about six hundred meters further on but we'll be defenseless once we pass this point."

"Right," Harry said as he reached up his sleeve and pulled out the Elder wand. "Lumos."

Looking at the bright white spark of light on the tip of Harry's wand Larry looked at him with a puzzled expression on his face. "What's that for?"

"I want to see the field in action," Harry answered as he stepped into the glow of the blue lights.

Unsure of what to expect, Harry paid close attention to everything around him. He continued to walk further and further into the field but nothing happened, his wand remained brightly lit. Turning, he could see the shocked expression on Larry's face. There was something else that bothered Harry though, namely the sudden headache he felt and the faint sensation of fluttering he felt in his mind. At first, he could not place the sensation, although he was sure he had experienced it before. It reminded him of when someone was trying to…

"Larry," he said with dawning comprehension. "Do you feel anything strange right now?"

"Like what, Harry," replied the puzzled Weasley.

"Do you feel anything in your mind?"

"Well other than a great deal of frustration and a headache, I feel alright."

Harry smiled and gestured with his wand to where Larry had his hidden in his jacket. "Try casting a spell."

Doing as told, Larry pulled out his wand and attempted to cast a simple summoning charm. Nothing happened and he tried several more times before Harry told him he could stop. The idea was a bit frightening to Harry. If he was right about this then the BSA was even more dangerous than he had previously thought. Harry held out his wand in front of him to get a better look at Larry's eyes. They seemed just ever so slightly out of focus, as if the young man were distracted or worse.

"You can put your wand away now," Harry said quietly.

"Care to explain what's going on," Larry said sliding his wand back into his jacket. "How come you can use magic inside the field and I can't?"

Harry was about to explain his theory when they heard the sound of running feet approaching them from the direction of the Tower entrance. A moment later, they saw a light coming towards them and then they heard voices crying out. Harry quickly pulled Larry back to the last brick shelter they had passed. Hiding inside, Harry extinguished the light from his wand and then concentrated on the noise that was growing louder by the moment.

"Stop," shouted a man's deep voice.

"Leave me alone," screamed the ragged voice of a woman.

Looking through a crack between the bricks, Harry watched as the dark shape of the woman passed beyond the anti-magic field. Then as she reached their hiding space, he stepped out and grabbed her round the waist before spinning her around and into the shadowy brick building. With reflexes honed over a lifetime of practice, Harry completed spinning around before erecting the most powerful shield charm he could two meters inside the anti-magic field. A second later the three men that had been chasing the woman ran right into the shield and collapsed to the ground with sickening thuds.

"Those are BSA Hunters," Larry said as he stepped out of his hiding place. "We've got to get out of here before they wake up."

"Who are you," asked the panting woman.

Assuming the trained authority of an Auror, Harry spoke very calmly, "I'll be asking the questions for right now. Why were they chasing you?"

"I wanted to leave the Tower," she said meekly. "They didn't want me to so they chased after me."

"Is that the only reason they were chasing you," he said as he saw the three men starting to wake up.

"Just let me go," she pleaded, watching the men with growing fear. "I don't know what you hit them with but if we run now, they might not catch us."

Harry was not a fool. Even if they ran now, the men would most likely have some type of Muggle communication device on them. They might escape for the moment but most likely there would be another group of these hunters waiting for them on the other end of the tunnel. Pointing his wand at the three men, anti-magic field or not, Harry fired three stunners at the men. The woman saw this and shrieked, Larry only managed to catch her round the waist before she ran for it. Her face was so pale in the dim light of the tunnel that Harry thought she might actually glow if all the lights were suddenly turned off.

"Please don't kill me," she begged.

"Why would I want to kill you," he asked her gently. "I try never to hurt anyone I've just rescued from my enemies."

"But I'm a Muggle," she said looking at the wand in his hand. "Wizards always kill Muggles when they get the chance to."

"Someone's been listening to the BSA a little too much," Larry said in a voice devoid of any humor. "Don't believe everything those bastards tell you. Better still; don't believe anything they tell you. Ever."

Despite her obvious fear and exhaustion, she laughed weakly. It was a rusty sounding laugh that made Harry think that she must not have had much to laugh about for a long time. When she looked up and saw Harry examining her, she quickly looked away and fell silent.

"My name is James," Harry said remembering Larry's warning about his real name. "The young man with the quick wit is my friend Lawrence. Would you mind telling us your name?"

"Antonia," she said in a barely audible whisper. "Antonia Cartwright."

"Good to meet you, Antonia," he said as warmly as possible. "Can I ask why you wanted to leave the Tower?"

"They killed my parents and took my little brother away," she said, her voice now louder and filled with fire. "They kicked me out of my home and forced me to live in the bowels of the Tower. I just wanted to be free, and maybe to find my brother."

"Why did they kill your parents and take your brother," asked Larry with a voice filled with a rage that Harry could also feel burning in his gut.

As they talked, Harry led them back the way they had come. Antonia explained that the BSA had tried to take her brother away the previous month, claiming that he required special care. When her parents had protested, the BSA had backed down saying they could not stand to come between parents and their children. Not a week later her parents had both been killed in an accident when the elevator they were riding in had gone out of control, falling forty stories and killing her parents instantly. Nothing like it had ever happened before but no one questioned it when the BSA declared it to be nothing more than an accident.

The next day Antonia was informed that she and her brother, William, would have to move to smaller quarters. This was far from being uncommon since space was always at a premium in the Tower. So, they moved to a smaller apartment on the lowest inhabitable level of the Tower, directly above one of the waste processing plants. The smell had been horrendous and William had grown ill almost immediately. Fearing for his health, Antonia had taken her brother to the infirmary and that had been the last time she had seen him.

The staff of the infirmary ignored all of her protests, and the BSA representative on the floor had informed her that he had no record of her ever having a brother. Her desperation had finally grown so overpowering that she had broken into the infirmary one night in an attempt to rescue William. Unfortunately, she found no sign of her brother and the records of his arrival and stay completely erased. Returning home that night, Antonia found her apartment ransacked and all traces of her brother removed. To make matters worse, she was reclassified as a "trouble maker." She was moved to yet a smaller apartment and her ration card downgraded to the lowest rating possible.

"I was starving," she said as they finally reached the Charing Cross station and made their way up to the street. "I was informed I was to start working in the waste processing facility the next day and I knew I had to get out. I just knew that if I stayed then I was going to have an 'accident' just like my parents. So I ran. That was two days ago and I've been looking for a way out ever since. This morning I stumbled across the entrance to the old Underground tunnels, so I waited till the coast was clear and then I made a break for it. There must have been an alarm on the gate because the moment I opened them, all hell broke loose."

Harry guided them out of the Underground station and past the rubble around it. They had obviously been in the tunnel longer then he had realized, the long shadow of the Tower was gone now; the sun had risen past the monstrous building and now hung near halfway down to the western horizon. Larry led them back to the building they had arrived in that morning while took a look at the young woman.

In the darkness, Harry had taken her height to be a sign of her age. Now in the light of the day he was shocked to see how young she really was. She was a very pretty girl with amber colored eyes and dark brown hair, yet Harry thought she could be no older then Larry. Given the soft features of her face, she might have even been younger than that.

"You want to be free," he said to her simply. "I can help you with that wish. I can take you somewhere the BSA can't find you. I can even help you find your brother if you want."

"You help me find my brother and I'll follow you to Hell," she said fiercely. "What I want to know is why you would want to help a Muggle."

"That's our Harry," Larry chuckled, "he likes to help everyone if he can."

Antonia looked at Harry sharply, "I thought you said your name was James?"

"Oh shit," muttered Larry, turning to give an apologetic glance at Harry.

"It is," Harry said smiling at her. "My full name is Harry James Potter."

The young girl's face went deathly pale at the sound of his real name. He eyes were filled with the fear that had suddenly resurfaced in her mind and she could only stutter as she looked at Harry.

"See you've heard of me," he said with a forced chuckle. "That would be another of those things the BSA tells you about that you shouldn't believe."

"You can't be that murder," she stammered. "He's been dead for hundreds of years and no one would name their child after that psycho."

"He's the same one," Larry said gently. "He's not that bad once you get over how old he is. Just don't get on his bad side before he's had his tea in the morning. His wife is actually the one to really look out for, she could scare the BSA when she's in a mood."

"Trust me," Harry said laying a reassuring hand on the woman's trembling shoulder. "I promise you will come to no harm if you come with me."

She looked at him for a moment, as if she were trying to judge the truthfulness of his words. He could see the indecision in her eyes as she tried to make her decision. It was only when she looked over her shoulder at the Tower that she seemed to make up her mind, and nodding her head firmly she smiled at Harry. Larry gave a friendly laugh and then led them inside the building they had arrived at earlier that day. Once safely inside, Antonia seemed to visibly relax.

"Fawkes," called Harry and a moment later the great bird flew in through an open window at the back of the building and landed on Harry's shoulder. "Antonia, this is my friend Fawkes. He's going to help us get out of here."

"How's a bird going to get us out of this place," she said with an expression on her face that clearly showed her doubt.

"Just take hold of his tail feather tightly, and don't let go. It's a magic thing but it won't hurt you, I promise."

The young woman steeled herself to touch the offered tail feather. Larry did the same and Harry followed suit a moment later. With a nod to Fawkes, there was a bright flash of flame and smoke then nothing. The empty building stood empty and quiet for several minutes before a sound could be heard in the distance.

Two rows of men in black uniforms, twelve in all, came running down the street carrying large machine guns. A thirteenth figure ran behind them, a gold medal the only sign of his rank hung on his chest as they ran past the building that Harry and the others had occupied only a short time before.

"Find that bitch," barked the officer. "Find her and kill her!"

"Yes, sir," shouted the twelve running men.

"No one escapes the Tower!"

"Yes, sir!"

"No one defies the BSA and lives to tell about it!"

"Yes, sir!"


	11. The Arch

**Chapter 11: The Arch**

Their return was quieter then Harry had expected, but then they were home earlier then they had originally planned. Therefore, it was that only the portraits of the former Headmasters were present when Harry and his two companions arrived in a flash of smoke and fire. He wasted no time confirming with the former Headmasters that Muggles could indeed remain at Hogwarts so long as they had his, the current Headmaster's approval. As he had suspected, the wards had been designed knowing that eventually a Muggle parent might want to see where their child was going to school.

"Where are we," Antonia asked as she looked rather nervously at the moving portraits. "'ow they doing that?"

"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Harry answered with a bit of a flourish and a bow. "I am the current Headmaster and as such I invite you to stay with us for as long as you want."

"Brilliant," Larry chuckled, his face slowly sliding back into the stoic expression he normally wore.

"I don't understand though," said the young woman looking around rather stunned. "One minute we're in London, and now we're here."

"Not to sound too cliché," Harry said winking at the young woman, "but it's magic."

At first, Harry honestly thought his newest guest had been struck dumb by his attempt at humor. Larry was also looking at him as if he was unsure of what to say or do. It was rather uncomfortable but just as he was preparing to apologize, Larry and Antonia suddenly started laughing.

"He actually said it," Larry said to the young woman.

"I know," she giggled.

Harry, not really understanding what was so funny crossed his arms and looked at the both of them until they stopped laughing. This might not have taken so long if several of the portraits had not begun laughing as well, which just seemed to start it all over again.

"Sorry, Harry," Larry finally managed to say. "That's a line from an old BSA poster. This odd-looking git is standing in the poster, pointed hat and all; it's the stupidest looking thing you've ever seen."

Antonia nodded and then took over saying, "then he says, 'It's magic, and it's dangerous.' So when you said it, it was just too perfect."

"I see," Harry said, trying to sound as serious as possible. "At least they got one thing right."

Harry managed to hold his deathly serious expression for a total of four seconds before he could not help but start laughing along with his new friends. There was that part of his mind, that part which was always serious that said the poster had been right and magic was dangerous. Of course, now it was even more dangerous than it had ever been before.

Using his warmest smile, even though he was not currently feeling particularly warm, Harry guided the two young people to the door. "Larry, why don't you show Antonia to the kitchen? I'm sure she's hungry."

"Good idea, I'm a bit hungry myself," Larry replied as he guided Antonia towards out the door. "You going to join us?"

"Yeah, I'll be down in a bit."

With a nervous smile, Antonia followed Larry out the door and down the revolving stairs. Harry watched them go, his mind on other things. He thought it best to get the young woman used to the castle as quickly as possible. There would be some rough days ahead as she adjusted to the world of magic that she had just found herself in. Hopefully the others would be able to help her feel at home as Harry worked on the problem at hand.

"Sean," he said, turning towards the portraits once again. "Would you mind coming with me to the Chamber? You too, Albus?"

"Not at all, Harry," both images, said at once.

Quickly Harry summoned both portraits from the wall and shrunk them so that he could easily fit them in his pocket. Turning once again towards the door Harry thought about everything that had happened so far that morning and he wondered what he should do next. He needed help to figure it all out. An idea was forming in his head but he felt that he needed more help then he currently had available to him. Was it time, he wondered, to call upon the power of the stone?

As he contemplated the idea, the door to his office flew open and two blurs of red hair flew at him. In a moment, Harry found himself enfolded in the arms of his two favorite people, Ginny and Amelia. Hugging them both tightly he felt the worries of the day fading as they all stood there happily. Not since his own children had been so small had he felt so at peace, so loved.

"How are my two favorite girls," he asked.

"Better now that you are back," Ginny said kissing him.

"I missed you so much, daddy," added Amelia.

"I missed you both," he said, lifting Amelia up in his arms and taking Ginny's hand in his.

They all made their way out of the Headmaster's office and down the stairs. They talked of completely unimportant things as they walked. Amelia informed him that Ginny and Elizabeth had spent the morning making new clothes for her, clothes that she planned to show him as soon as they got time. Ginny on the other hand was talking about teaching Elizabeth to make those clothes, and how much the young woman had seemed to enjoy learning the complex spells involved. It was a peaceful conversation that Harry fully enjoyed as it did not focus around the dark times they had found themselves in.

When they reached the kitchen, Harry sat Amelia down on the floor and looked at her with a wide grin on his face. "You're mum and I need to take care of something. You think you can do me a favor and keep our new guest company while we're busy? She's a Muggle so you have to be extra nice to her."

"Sure thing, daddy," smiled the little girl.

With a big hug and a kiss on her cheek, Harry watched as she made her way into the kitchen. From the sound of it, everyone was inside and Harry felt a pang of sadness that he and Ginny could not join them yet. He wanted to be able to take part in the joy of being with his new friends but there were important matters that weighed heavily on his mind at the moment. He had to find solutions and he needed better minds then his own to do it.

"Very smooth, Potter," Ginny said with a sly wink.

"Why thank you, dear," he said taking her hand again. "I had lots of practice with our kids."

Together they walked towards the second floor bathroom and the entrance to the Chamber. Ginny tried to get him to talk about what was on his mind, but Harry felt like he was a million miles away. He had made a decision that was not sitting well with him, yet it seemed like the only thing that made sense. Each time Ginny tried to get him to talk he would just gently squeeze his hand and give her a sad smile. She eventually figured out that he wanted to wait till they reached the Chamber, but Ginny did not look happy about it.

As quickly as they could, with the help of several shortcuts, Harry and Ginny made their way to the entrance to the Chamber. Ginny shuddered as she watched the sink vanish into the floor. The Chamber itself no longer bothered her, but the entryway still brought back dark memories for her. It was not until they passed through the arch leading to the doors of the Chamber that she felt herself calm down. If Harry had asked, she would have told him that it was time to change the entrance and to hell with the need to protect the secrecy of the Chamber.

Harry led the way down to the lowest level of the Chamber where the Arch stood mysteriously. The Veil still moved gently as if in a breeze that no one could feel, occasionally it seemed to her that someone was whispering just behind it. No matter how hard she tried to listen she could never quite hear what the voices were saying, but somehow she knew that right at that moment they were talking about her and Harry.

As Ginny tried to understand what she was hearing, Harry was arranging several empty crates to use as makeshift easels. When he had them arranged just the way he wanted them he pulled the two shrunken portraits from his pocket and reversed the charms he had used on them. Once the portraits were back to their normal size, the former Headmasters smiled out at him, they seemed rather amused at their present situation.

"An intriguing sensation, riding in someone's pocket," mused Sean's portrait.

"Rather amusing I thought," laughed Dumbledore. "Now I assume you will explain to us why we had to talk down here, and what has you so visibly shaken, Harry?"

Harry held up his hand, silently asking for a few moments more. Walking quietly towards the Arch he contemplated what he intended to do. Did he really have the right to do it? He needed their help but he felt selfish about his reasons. Just because he had the ability to do what he was contemplating, did it really mean that he had the right to do it? He already had access to all the former Headmasters, was he really sure that with their help he would not be able to find the solution that he needed? There were too many questions on his mind, and he thought that maybe that was the real reason he intended to do what he planned. Who better to help him solve a puzzle like this?

Holding his hand out in front of him, Harry spun the ring upon his finger three times concentrating on what he intended to do. At first he thought maybe he had made a mistake since the veil hung heavily inside the Arch as if in a dead calm. Then, just as he was about to give up, a sudden sense of weight filled the room. The Veil suddenly blew outward as if a strong wind were moving it, but there was no sensation of wind at all. Slowly the Veil began to part as if drawn apart by invisible hands. The others instinctually turned away, but Harry continued to look through the opening. It was as if there was a long tunnel behind that Veil, longer than anything Harry had ever seen or imagined before.

He felt as if his eyes had become better then they had ever been before because he could see the end of that tunnel. In the glow of the most beautiful light he had ever seen before stood three figures. At first they seemed as if they were miles away, then suddenly they were rushing towards him without actually moving. Faster and faster they approached, glowing brighter and brighter as the neared the Arch. Suddenly they were right in front of Harry, although they still seemed to be moving. As he watched, the glow dimmed and color flooded into them like watercolors slowly blending together.

At first it was like looking through an unfocused telescope. Harry knew that the two figures were standing right in front of him but they still seemed so far away. Slowly they began to come into focus, not as the silvery translucent figures he had expected but as solid objects. Suddenly there was a real rushing of wind so powerful that Harry was almost knocked off his feet. Struggling to stay on his feet and blinking his eyes in the powerful gale, he realized that something more then he had intended had just occurred. The two people in front of him were not ghosts, they were living breathing people.

"Oh, Harry," Ginny said in a horrified voice. "What have you done?"

"I wish I knew," was the thought that passed like a storm through his mind.

Hand in hand the two people that Harry had somehow called from beyond the Veil walked over to stand directly in front of Harry and his wife. "It's ok, Ginny. Harry might be rubbish when it comes to chess, but he's alright when it comes to doing the right thing. Besides, did you honestly think we were going to let you have all the fun?"

Reaching out a trembling hand, Ginny touched the arm of the one person other than Harry that she had always admired. When she was convinced that he was not an illusion or a ghost, she flung herself into his arms and began bawling her eyes out. She could not remember the last time she had seen his face when it was not either covered in wrinkles, and now here stood her brother in the prime of his youth.

"Leave off, Ginny," Ron Weasley chuckled softly as he kissed the top of his sister's head. "I'm really here, but if you keep hugging me that tightly I might die from lack of air."

"How is this possible," asked a pale and stunned Sean from his portrait. "There is no magic the likes of which we have just seen."

"It's Harry," said calm and smiling Hermione Granger as she walked over to hug Harry. "He's the true master of the Resurrection Stone. It interacted with the Arch to open a passage between here and where we were. I suspect that his love for us combined with the fact that he is more concerned with helping others rather than himself, acted as a catalyst for the Arch to facilitate our return."

Ron winked over at Harry and said with a grin, "That and we really wanted to see you again, mate."

Standing silently, his voice momentarily frozen by the magnitude of what had just happened, Harry kept looking around the small group of people around him. He was waiting for one of them to tell him it was all a joke, yet Hermione's hug had been real and so was the smell of the perfume she always wore. He felt joy bubbling up in him, but there was also a dark belief that what he had done was wrong on some level. Looking back and forth between his newly returned friends, he had to wonder if there would be a price to pay for what he had done, and would he be able to pay it when the time came.

"I'm so sorry," he forced out of his dry and cracking throat. "I shouldn't have brought you back to this."

Ginny was still in shock but she knew her husband better than anyone, and she knew he needed her. Forgetting her brother's return, Ginny walked over to him and wrapped her arms around Harry's neck. Looking into his eyes she could see the depths of his sadness and doubt. She knew that he was confused about what had happened. Pulling him close she kissed him gently, feeling the tension in his body from the emotions he was holding back. He held onto her as if she was his last chance at salvation. If the way Harry looked right now was any indication, she just might be.

"We're back all of a minute and their already at it," snorted Ron, trying to lighten the mood.

"Be quiet, Ron," hissed Hermione.

"Quite," mumbled the portrait of Dumbledore as Sean nodded in agreement.

Harry and Ginny clung to each other for a long time, each trying to come to terms with what had just happened. Wordlessly they seemed to communicate to each other the fact that they were both shocked and scared by what Harry had done. Ginny knew that it had not been Harry's intention to bring his friends back from the dead; in fact she doubted he had believed it possible. Still, it had happened and now they had to come to terms with it.

"It's ok, love," she whispered in his ear as she held him close.

"How could I do that to them," he said in a pleading voice, seeking an answer that would not come.

"We chose this, Harry," Hermione said in a soothing voice. "You did not force us or pull us unwillingly from some heavenly paradise."

"Yeah," added Ron as he walked up to stand behind his wife. "We left that joint of our own free will. Was getting rather boring anyway, no one wanted to play me in chess anymore."

Harry could not help but smile at his friend's comment. "How is this possible?"

"The ring," Ron stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It's the key to the Arch, sort of. Together with a bit of help from the other side, a few friends that didn't want you to face this by yourself, we were able to pass back through the Veil."

"As always, Ron makes it sound much simpler than it really was," Hermione said in her familiar tone of intellectual superiority. "We are the only ones that will be able to come through this way, though. Our actions were allowed but no further help can be granted. The ring may call forth simple shade now, but they will not be able to cross into the real world again. Consider the Arch a one way door now, just as it was always intended to be."

"We chose this, Harry," Ron said with a warm and genuine smile.

"Just like you and Ginny did," Hermione added with a grin. "We wanted to be here with you, to help you."

This was all so familiar to Harry. Hermione's smug yet friendly attitude of bossiness combined with Ron's ability to simplify any solution into terms he could understand. This is what he had been missing for so long, ever since he had lost them both. Looking at them now, Harry realized that since they had died, he had been missing a part of himself, of his heart, that not even his love for Ginny had been able to fully heal.

Harry looked into the eyes of his friends and knew the truth of their words. They were right, just as he and Ginny had made the choice to be here, so had his friends. In that moment, all of his sadness was forgotten and the joy of being reunited with his oldest friends in the world bubbled up in him like clean and pure spring water, washing away all of his sadness. Rushing forward, Harry embraced them both, Ginny right by his side, and welcomed his real family home.

"I have always said that love was the most powerful magic in all of creation," Dumbledore said as he wiped a tear from his eye.

"Yes, yes," mumbled the image of Sean from his portrait. "God knows we've all heard your theories about love. Now could you just let it rest for a while, maybe the next fifty years or so?"

"Oh shut up, you old fraud," Dumbledore said in a playful tone.

"Look who's talking," retorted the other portrait, making a rude hand gesture. "At least I never hid the truth of my feeling from the man I loved."

You could have heard a pin drop in the Chamber at that point. Everyone turned to see a brightly blushing Dumbledore staring in open mouthed disbelief at his fellow Headmaster. Maybe it was the tension of the past few minutes, or maybe it was just the happiness of being together with his friends again, but Harry could not hold back the laughter that forced its way out of him. A moment later and everyone was laughing, even Dumbledore's image once he regained his composure.

Looking up at the laughing faces, Dumbledore finally managed to speak. "We each of us have our secrets."

"Doesn't change a thing, Albus," Harry said, smiling fondly at his friend and mentor, "although it does explain the purple suit."

Dumbledore laughed even harder, they all did, and it was several minutes before they settled down enough to talk normally. Harry found it difficult at first to concentrate on what he needed to say what with everything that had just happened. It was only with great difficulty that he finally forced his mind to focus on the matter at hand. Pulling his wand out, he transfigured two crates into rather large and comfortable couches. Ginny ignored the couch until Harry had sat down and made himself comfortable, then she crawled into his lap and snuggled close. While Hermione did not crawl into Ron's lap, she did sit as close as possible to him until he wrapped an arm around her.

How long Harry spoke after was hard to tell. He told them everything that he and Ginny had experienced up to that point. Ron's ears had started turning red almost as soon as Harry began describing the BSA, it was not long before he was sputtering like a tea kettle on the boil. As for Ginny and Hermione, they seemed to alternate between tears and fits of silent fury. Even the portraits of the Headmasters seemed to be fighting the desire to rage against everything they heard. When Harry told them of the skeletons he had found in the London Underground it was Ron that broke into tears first, the image was just too powerful for him. Pausing long enough to comfort his crying wife, Harry wondered if he should tell them about his meeting with Antonia now or wait until he had explained his theory.

"I discovered something while I was down in that damnable tunnel," he said, finally making up his mind. "When we reached the point where the anti-magic field was, I wanted to see what it felt like to lose my magic. I cast Lumos and then walked right into the field, but nothing happened. At first I thought the field had failed but when Larry tried to cast a spell, he failed."

"Did you notice anything strange," Sean asked, looking intently at Harry.

"Yes, I did," he said grimly.

"So what was it, mate," asked Ron, his face taking on the expression he wore when he played chess. "We came all the way back from the dead for this, so don't keep us waiting."

Laughing at his friends humorous but blunt words, Harry watched Hermione slap her husband's arm playfully before he went on. "When I stood in that field I recognized the feel of it right away. I was actually very surprised by it at first, even wondering if I was imagining it. After a moment I was sure though, it was the feel of someone trying to use Legilimency on me."

Suddenly everyone was talking at once. They all seemed to have a reason why Harry could not be right. Only Sean remained quiet, a thoughtful expression on his face as he contemplated what Harry had said. Harry for the most part listened to everything that was being said around him, but he had experienced it and they had not. Nothing they said was going to make him doubt his own experiences and his gut reaction to that experience. Someone had been using Legilimency down in that tunnel and he wanted to know who.

"It's just not possible, Harry," Hermione said firmly. "Not only could they not have used magic like that on you, but the spell requires eye contact to work properly."

"Who said they used magic on Harry," asked Sean.

"Well obviously if it really was Legilimency then it was magic," said Ron, coming to his wife's defense.

"Not necessarily, Ron," said the portrait. "If the BSA found a way to duplicate the effect of the spell by some scientific means then it would be possible."

"An artificial spell of some sort," Dumbledore mused. "Rather like a charmed music box, it does not require a wizard to continually cast the charm to work. Still, Legilimency is a very difficult spell to perform, I'm not sure an artificial source would be able to perform the spell properly."

"What would be the purpose of it anyway," asked Hermione. "I mean, even if they could break into someone's mind, what would it accomplish?"

Sean began pacing back and forth in his portrait. "A strong enough Legilimens would be able to break into a mind and force one of his own memories into the mind of his victim."

"Like for example a Muggle memory of not knowing how to use magic," Harry said with a thin lipped smile.

The two old Headmasters suddenly looked like the happiest people on Earth as they beamed at Harry.

"I get it," Ginny said with a smile of her own. "You put the memory of not knowing how to use memory over the real memory like a blanket. Suddenly you're waving your wand around in the air with no clue how to use the bloody thing."

"There is a problem with this theory," Dumbledore said, the twinkle in his eyes growing dimmer. "Legilimency is not an easy spell to master. It requires a great deal of practice and skill to be able to break into another person's mind. I don't think it would be possible for a machine, no matter how complex it might be, to break into the mind of a human."

"You make it sound like Fred and George when they talked about picking Muggle locks," Ginny said with a chuckle.

"That is not far from the mark when it comes to breaking into a mind," said the image of Dumbledore. "Each mind is different so every time you attempt to break into a mind it is slightly different. I don't think a Muggle machine would be able to do it."

"What about a computer," asked Hermione. "Could a Muggle computer do it?"

Sean shook his head, "I doubt it. When I was younger, before I came to Hogwarts, I did research on the human mind and computers. Not even the most complex computer we had at that time could compare to a human mind when it came to problem solving. Oh they could play a fantastic game of chess, but they could not deal well with any possibility that was not programmed into them to begin with. There are far too many variables when dealing with a person's mind for a computer to deal with."

This was something Ron could grasp, the idea of comparing it to a chess problem helped him to see it in a clearer light. "So if a computer can't do it, you have to find a better chess player. The BSA does not use magic, at least as far as we know. Still, Harry would know if someone was trying to get into his mind. I think we are focusing on the wrong part of this problem. In this case we need to worry about the end result rather than the starting point. So, if it were possible to break into someone's mind, could a memory of not knowing how to use magic block the real memory of that knowledge?"

"I believe so," Sean said smiling at Ron. "Everything we do, whether it is magic or just walking down the street, is based upon our memories of how to do that thing. If you could block that memory then it would be as if you had never learned a thing, you would be defenseless."

"I still say it is impossible," said a stubborn Hermione, Dumbledore nodding in agreement. "It would be hard enough to block one person's memories of magic, but the BSA block hundreds of people at a time. I mean that is how they defeated the Ministry of Magic along with all the other magical governments."

"Ignore that, Hermione," Harry said suddenly. "Ron's right. We may not know how they are doing it, but the pieces fit. I know that I blocked someone from getting into my mind and because of that I was still able to use magic. Larry on the other hand could not block that intrusion and so he could not use magic. As far as I'm concerned, that's a pretty conclusive argument for the BSA using Legilimency against us."

Sean nodded vigorously and started pacing again, "He's right. We may not know the how of the thing yet but the pieces fit too nicely. I think we need to talk to Harry's new friend, Antonia, and see if she has any information that might help us to figure out the solution. Until then, I suggest as a precaution we begin teaching everyone Occlumency."

"I think that might be a wise idea," Dumbledore agreed. "As you said, we may not know how they are doing it, but we do have a fairly good idea of what will stop it."

They talked for a little while longer, mostly to reaffirm what they already suspected. By the time they were done, everyone was exhausted and Harry finally ended the continuous chatter by shrinking the two portraits, mid sentence, and putting them back in his pocket.

"I don't know about you lot," he said as he lifted a sleeping Ginny up in his arms, "but I've got two young ladies to get to bed."

"Two," asked Ron.

Harry smiled and nodded as everyone followed him to the entrance. "Yeah. Seems you're an uncle again, mate. Wait till you meet my adopted daughter. You won't know what hit you."


	12. Hallways and Shortcuts

**Chapter 12: Hallways and Shortcuts**

Harry seemed a lot easier to get along with since the return of his friends. The only thing that really bothered Greg about the situation was the simple fact that people returning from the dead was just plain creepy. Of course, the other problem, the one that made Greg's hair stand on end each time he saw this newest Weasley, was that the man looked just like his brother Peter, and that was just too strange. No matter how much Larry insisted that it was Peter that looked like Ron, Greg would always see his older brother's face with he looked at the recently returned Weasley. Greg hated to admit it, but he resented Ron without ever really trying to get to know him.

"What are you brooding about this time?" whispered a woman's soft voice from directly behind him. "Everyone thinks you are so positive and chipper, but I know better."

In the month since Harry had returned from London with his brother and Antonia, Greg had yet to get used to her presence. Not only that, but she had a knack for catching him at his worst moments. It never failed, when he was deep in his thoughts she would pop up out of nowhere, finding him moodily sitting somewhere by himself. It was almost as if she was actively seeking him out, but that didn't make any sense to him. Now here she was again, taking a spot right next to him on the bench he was sitting on.

"Really don't know what you are talking about, Toni," he said, trying to play it cool. "I'm right as rain, and twice as cool."

Antonia giggled at his overconfident reply, flashing him a grin that made his stomach suddenly jump. That giggle and that grin, every time he saw and heard them, Greg would grow lightheaded. That probably explained why he went out of his way to make her do both. What he was unsure of, and what just did not make sense to him, was why she kept coming around him at all. With the exception of the fact that he could make her laugh, she had explained to him several times that she hated his music and thought his red hair made him look funny. It could not be any plainer that she was not interested in him, so then why was she always coming around looking for him?

"Sure you don't, Gregory," she teased, only she used his full name.

Today he had been playing his guitar in the school library. For a place designed to always be quiet, it had the best acoustics he had ever heard so he came here every day after training to get in an hour of playing before heading off for dinner.

"Really, Toni," he said, looking at her innocently. "I'm just showing my favorite lady some extra attention."

"Oh," Antonia smiled, "so a girl has to be dirty to get some extra attention around here?"

Her tone of voice seemed so innocent at first that it took Greg a moment to pick up the hint of sarcasm and teasing.

'She's so beautiful,' he thought to himself. 'Did she just outright flirt with me, though?'

Antonia, as it turned out, was only sixteen years old, even though Greg thought she looked every bit of eighteen. He tried to tell himself that the two years difference in their ages was what kept him from acting on his desire to get to know her better, but there was more to it than that. If he really had to be honest about it, she scared him a little bit. In his entire life, he had never met a Muggle that did not fear him when they discovered he was a Wizard, but Antonia did not seem to mind at all. Her evident acceptance of the magical world she was currently living in was making him reevaluate his notions of the world, and that was a difficult thing to do after a lifetime of mistrust.

"Cat got your tongue?" she whispered coyly, looking at him with a mischievous smile.

"Of course not," he stammered. "I was just thinking of a song."

"Play it for me," she commanded playfully.

Antonia was looking at his guitar now, but Greg was looking at her. No matter how hard he tried, he could not take his eyes off her. From the very first moment he had seen her standing in the kitchen beside Larry, he had been attracted to her. As he began to play for her, an old love song he had learned when he was just starting to play, Greg remembered the first time he had seen her. She had looked a bit scruffy and dirty, but her eyes had been so beautiful that he could not look away. When she had finally looked at him, she had suddenly smiled so radiantly at him that his heart seemed to skip a few beats in his chest.

"It's a beautiful song," she said looking up into his eyes. "I wonder what a girl has to do to get you to play like this for her all the time. I like it when you play like this; you have such a gentle touch."

"Gentle touch," he repeated.

She closed her eyes, swaying gently back and forth as he played. In his entire life, Greg had never seen any girl that looked half as beautiful as she did right at that moment in time. The longer he looked at her, the more passionately he played his guitar until the song was more than it had ever been before, richer and more intense. When he finally reached the end of the song, Antonia opened her eyes and looked up at him with a mysterious smile on her lips.

'Why me?' Greg thought to himself. 'Girls like her never want anything to do with me; they always want to hang out with Larry. The only girls that ever like me are the ones that are out to piss off their families.'

"That was beautiful, Greg," she said leaning closer and reaching out a hand to touch his guitar.

Swallowing hard and trying not to lose his cool, Greg smiled back at her before saying, "It's just something I picked up when I was younger."

"Maybe," she said drawing even closer, her hip now touching his. "Listening to you play, well, it makes me think that anything is possible."

'Screw it,' Greg suddenly thought to himself.

Forgetting all his previous objections and worries, Greg leaned forward and kissed her. At first, he thought she was going to pull away, but then he felt her slender arms wrap around his neck and pull him closer to deepen the kiss. How long the kiss lasted was impossible to say, although to Greg it seemed to last for a glorious eternity. When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing a little heavier than usual, their flushed faces covered in shy smiles.

"Like I said," she whispered huskily, "anything is possible."

"Yeah," he agreed, "anything is possible."

Laying his precious guitar down at the other end of the bench they were on, Greg turned back to her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. The smile that lit up her face as he pulled her up onto his lap was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. At first, they just looked into each other's eyes; occasionally they whispered to each other so softly that no one else would be able to hear them. Mostly, they kissed, sometimes like children playing games, sometimes so passionately that it seemed a crime to spy on them.

That was how Larry found them over an hour later. He had not seen Greg in a while and was worried that he might be getting into trouble somewhere in the castle. That in mind, Larry had set out to find his brother. Now here he was, safe and sound in the library, with a beautiful young woman busily trying to suck his face off. It was nice to see that at least one of their love lives was progressing so smoothly.

"Lucky bastard," Larry laughed to himself.

Smiling one of his very rare smiles, Larry turned silently and made his way back out of the library before the young couple could notice him. Larry's thoughts were on the young woman that was so often on his mind these days, Elizabeth. Although she did not remember him from their time as children here in the castle, Larry remembered her. He remembered that she had been something of a tomboy when they were children; she was always trying to keep up with him and Greg. All these years later, she was anything but a tomboy now. Seeing her again, Larry had known instantly that she was the one he wanted to be with for the rest of his life, he only needed to convince her of that.

There had been some indication that she liked him, at least at first there had been. Since his return from London with Harry, Elizabeth had been extremely cold to him. What he had done to warrant this type of behavior from her was a complete mystery. After their farewell in the Headmaster's office, and her comment that should he return safely she would reconsider seeing him as more than just a friend, Larry had thought things were going to get better for them. Unfortunately for him, things had not gone nearly as well as he had hoped they would. At first she had looked so happy to see him, and then suddenly she had turned away. Ever since then she had been giving him the cold shoulder. It was a complete mystery to him as to why this was happening now.

'I wish someone would tell me what the hell I did wrong,' he thought as he entered the Gryffindor tower.

There she was, the source of all his confusion, reading a book on one of the couches in the room. At first, he thought she had glanced up at him, but if that were the case then she probably would be trying to leave the room by now. Her focus seemed to be completely on the book in her lap, at least that was how it seemed. Walking over to her, Larry made a decision to find out what was going on between them.

"Why," he asked as he sat down across from her.

Closing the book, Elizabeth stood to leave. "You know why."

"No, I really don't," Larry said, standing quickly to stop her from leaving. "Please, tell me what's wrong."

Turning to face him, her face was flushed with anger. "Don't lie to me. You said there had never been anyone else, and then you come back from London with another woman."

"That's what this is all about," he stammered, feeling confused. "You think I brought her back because I like her more than you?"

Her face turning an even darker red, Elizabeth turned away from him again and started to walk away. Larry could not let her leave like that, reaching out he gently placed a hand on her arm to stop her.

"Let go of me," she screamed, turning faster than he could imagine.

The sensation of pressure was the first thing he noticed, and then the sound registered in his ears. **Slap!** His cheek was burning from the sting of the blow, he let go and stumbled backwards. Anger quickly boiled up in his chest as she looked at him with a mixture of rage and shock at her own action. Larry did not care anymore; it was time for him to speak.

"You should have known better, Liz," he said in a deadly quiet voice. "I told you the truth when I said you were the only one for me. At this very moment, Greg and Antonia are together down in the library. He's the one she wants to be with, and I'm happy for him, because he wants to be with her too. Harry brought her back because she needed his help, and I helped her for the same reason. I didn't do it because I thought she was attractive, I did it because I knew Harry would want to come home early if she was with us. I just wanted to get back here to you, but the way you are acting right now, I guess I needn't have bothered coming back at all."

Turning away, Larry stormed across the room before Elizabeth could say a word. "I guess I was mistaken about you. Wish I had known that sooner."

With those last words still echoing in the room, Elizabeth stood staring in shock at the flight of stairs where Larry had just vanished. Her heart felt as if it had shattered into a million jagged pieces, her legs could barely hold her weight. She had been so confused when Larry had returned, but then she had seen the young woman standing next to him. The smile on his face, such a rare sight usually, had been the most gorgeous thing she had ever seen. That smile, the one she longed to be directed at her could only have been for the young woman at his side, which was the only explanation that made sense to Elizabeth. Now to be told that the smile she had assumed was for another woman had been meant for her, well it was devastating. How could she have been so completely wrong?

"I've messed it all up," she moaned, tears beginning to fill her eyes.

"Yeah, you made a fine mess of that one," said a man's gentle voice from behind her.

Looking over her shoulder, Elizabeth saw the figure of Ron Weasley leaning up against the portrait hole. For some reason, he made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. He had, after all, apparently returned from the dead, along with his wife, just to help Harry and Ginny fight the BSA. Then there was also the fact that when Harry was around, he seemed more easy going. The moment Harry walked away though; Ron became extremely serious and slightly intimidating.

"I'll tell you a wee story," he said, walking over and sitting comfortably on the couch nearest the fireplace. "Have a seat."

His tone was soft and gentle, something Elizabeth did not expect from Ron. Even the scowl he normally wore was gone now. Instead, he looked the way he did when he was talking to Harry, Ginny, or his wife, relaxed with a smile playing across his face. Still, she quickly sat as if obeying a command.

"Relax," he chuckled. "You kids are all so twitchy around me. You would think I had just returned from the dead or something."

"You did," Elizabeth said, shyly looking down into her lap lest she offend him.

"Listen, Lizzie," he replied with a gentle chuckle, "I'm trying to get a laugh out of you but you've got a bug up your bum. What say you let me tell you my story and we'll see about sorting this all out?"

Elizabeth stiffened a bit at being called "Lizzie," but nodded and looked up to see Ron staring into the fireplace and the fire within.

"When I first came to Hogwarts," he said, his voice seeming to come from miles away, "I met this really bossy young woman. Oh, she really got under my skin, a real bossy know-it-all that just seemed to delight in making my life a nightmare. She was always telling me what to do and acting like she was so superior. Needless to say, I think I had a thing for her the moment I met her."

Elizabeth tried not to laugh, but the feeling was just too strong. To hear this hulking figure of a man admit something so innocent and pure, it was a bit shocking. It was hard to imagine him as being young, even though he looked no older than eighteen or twenty. She thought it was his eyes; they just looked so ancient looking out from his youthful face.

"We used to fight like cats and dogs," he went on. "I don't think there was a day that went by when we didn't argue about something or other. Then one night something happened, a troll was let loose here in the castle. Harry and I fought the beast to save her, after that we were the best of friends. It took a lot longer to actually admit that I was in love with her though. I was a jealous prat when she paid attention to other blokes, to the point where I nearly drove her away forever."

Looking over at her, Ron smiled warmly, "In the end, I even grew jealous of Harry, almost lost both of them because I could not admit to myself that I was in love with her. In a rage, I ran out on them when they needed me the most, something I have never fully forgiven myself for. Thankfully, I finally realized that it was my own bloody jealousy and pride that was keeping us apart, so tucking my tail between my legs I went back and apologized for my stupidity."

"And she forgave you," asked Elizabeth meekly.

"That she did," Ron laughed. "Well, she did after she nagged me about it for a few days. Even after all that, she was still the one to finally make the final move and snog me senseless one night as we prepared to fight the darkest wizard of all time. Talk about strange timing."

He smiled at her again, his eyes seeming to bore straight into her soul. "The point of this little jaunt down memory lane is this; don't let your own jealousy make you do something you'll regret for the rest of your life. Trust me; you'll have plenty of time for regrets later."

"How can I make it up to him now though?" begged Elizabeth. "I've been such a fool."

"That's the truth of all our mistakes," he said, looking at her kindly. "We just have to find the courage to take responsibility for our actions, and then move forward."

Standing, Ron walked over and patted her shoulder before walking towards the stairs leading up to the room he shared with his wife in the men's tower. Elizabeth watched him walk away, still slightly stunned at how understanding he had been of her foolish behavior. Of course, he had been talking about his wife, but Elizabeth had no clue if she would be able to find the same type of happy ending with Larry that Ron had with Hermione.

'I've been a fool,' she thought as she looked into the fire. 'It would serve me right if he never wanted to talk to me again.'

Harry watched all of this from the top of the stairs. He had silently thanked Ron as his old friend passed him on the way to his and Hermione's room. Leave it to Ron to know exactly what to say to the confused young woman, right when she needed to hear it.

"Come to bed, Harry," whispered Ginny from their doorway.

"Yes, Gin," he said, following her into their room and closing the door behind him.

Many hours later, the silence of the castle interrupted only by the sound of a rainstorm outside. Suddenly, without any warning, there was a sound like a cannon being fired in the common room. Harry was awake in an instant. Grabbing his wand, he jumped out of bed and ran for the door. Ginny was right behind him, her wand held before her like a sword and her hair flying back from her head like the flames of a torch. Together, they ran down the stairs to the common room. They could hear footsteps racing down the twin sets of stairs as the others arrived.

In the darkness of the room, the fire having burnt down to cinders long ago, Harry could just make out two shadowy objects on the floor of the common room. One was smaller than the other, but neither should have been there.

"Lumos," Harry shouted.

Suddenly the room filled with glowing wands, everyone evidently having the same idea as Harry. That was not surprising, as he had trained all of them. What did surprise him was what he saw laying on the floor in front of him. The smaller shape was that of Fawkes the phoenix, obviously exhausted. Amelia was already running over to hold the wondrous creature in her arms. The larger shape was a bit more of a problem though.

The large creature was covered in scales that looked like flakes of midnight made solid. Although it was tightly curled up at the moment, Harry had no doubt that the creature was at least twelve feet long from end to end. It was the eyes that caught Harry's attention. Eyes so bright that their golden color seemed to glow, and for all Harry knew, they did.

_Sorry I took so long,_ puffed the raven black dragon. _You have no idea how long it takes to break out of one of those damnable eggs._

"Uncle Wulfric?" asked a very confused Amelia.

_It's me, poppet._


	13. The Divination Tower

**Chapter 13: The Divination Tower**

"A bloody dragon," stammered Ron. "You couldn't find a puppy or a cat? It had to be a bloody gigantic dragon?"

They were all gathered around the enormous form of their newly returned friend, Wulfric. Elizabeth and the Weasley boys were taking turns hugging Wulfric's long neck, excited to have their old friend and mentor back finally. They had not wanted to admit it, but they had missed him a great deal. Even Harry felt tears of joy in his eyes as he greeted his old friend. In all their time together, Harry had never gotten used to the continuous loss and return of the cursed being.

_I don't get a lot of choice in the matter, Ron, _said a very exasperated Wulfric. _Thankfully, dragons grow quickly so there is none of the fuzzy thinking I normally have to deal with while the brain matures._

Ginny was laughing as she scratched a soft spot on Wulfric's long neck. "I always liked the way you talked when you would arrive in a new body. It was so cute."

"What breed are you, Wulfric," Elizabeth asked.

_I think I'm a Hebridean Black…_

His words trailed off as Ron and Hermione walked forward. Harry would have never thought it possible to see a look of shock and amazement on a dragon's face, obviously he was mistaken. Wulfric's long jaw actually made a loud thunking sound as it hit the thickly carpeted floor. As soon as he collected himself, Wulfric reached out his neck to rub Hermione's cheek. Large glistening tears shone in his eyes as he greeted them both.

_Merlin, I go away for a little while and all the rules change._

Harry was only partially paying attention as Wulfric, Ron, and a teary eyed Hermione greeted each other. His attention was focused on the trembling form of Antonia as she stood as far away from Wulfric as she possibly could. Her face was pale and slick with sweat, looking as if she might faint at any moment. Harry knew he needed to do something before the poor girl ran screaming from the room. Walking over to stand next to her, Harry wrapped an arm around the frightened girl's shaking shoulders.

"It's ok, Toni. He's an old friend," he said, trying to calm her.

The terrified young woman looked up at him, her eyes the size of Galleons. "He's in my mind. I can hear him in my mind. How is that possible?"

Leading her away from the others, Harry began to tell Antonia the story of how he had met Wulfric. If she understood the history involved, maybe she would be able to accept the rest of it a little easier. She seemed to cling to his every word, trying to make sense of what was going on around her. Harry realized that after all the magical things she had learned to accept, this might be the turning point for her.

"But he's talking in my mind," she said once again. "Can he read my thoughts?"

"It is a bit strange at first," Harry said as gently as possible. "As for reading your thoughts, why don't we ask him? Always best to go to the source when you are unsure."

Leading the young woman back over to the rest of the group, Harry caught Ginny's eye and tried to explain silently the problem they were facing. To his surprise, it was Amelia that solved the problem rather quickly when she ran over and dragged Antonia over to meet her "uncle."

"Toni," said the very excited young girl, "this is my Uncle Wulfric. He's a dragon this time! How cool is that?"

"This time," Antonia said, still trembling.

Wulfric looked up at Antonia with his glowing golden eyes, seeming to understand the situation almost at once. Lowering his head slightly so that he could look into Antonia's eyes, Wulfric began to speak slowly to the room. Antonia seemed to relax when Amelia suddenly crawled up onto Wulfric's massive back, promptly falling asleep between his folded wings.

_Once, a very long time ago,_ Wulfric said gently,_ I was human just like the rest of you. I was terrified to die. I did something very foolish to prevent that from happening. I succeeded, in a twisted fashion, and I have regretted my foolishness ever since._

"But you talk in my head," Antonia accused. "That's my place, my one truly safe place."

_I cannot change the manner of my communication, but if you want, I can refrain from talking to you._

"I don't know what I want," she said finally.

"Come on, Toni," Greg said, walking up behind her and wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Let's get some fresh air for a bit and leave this great brute to talk with Harry and the others. Okay?"

The young woman nodded up at Greg, and a moment later they left the common room to wander the hallways. Harry noticed that Elizabeth seemed to be intensely curious about the two as they left, but that her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. Glancing at Larry, Harry saw that he also seemed to be very interested in someone other than Wulfric. Larry's eyes, although he was trying very hard to hide it, were constantly glancing at Elizabeth's back with a look of confusion and longing.

'Bloody wonderful,' Harry thought as he watched the two of them. 'Once again I've got a couple that are going to drive me crazy with their ongoing drama.'

_She's a Muggle, isn't she?_

"How did you guess?" Ginny laughed.

_Call it a hunch, if you will._

Wulfric's great chest rumbled with the sound of laughter as small puffs of smoke rolled from his nose, forming smoke rings that floated to the ceiling. After a quick discussion, Harry lowered the wards preventing Apparition long enough to transport Wulfric down to the Great Hall. Due to his size, and the fact that he was growing so fast that they could almost see him getting longer, it was decided that Wulfric would stay in the Great Hall until they could make better arrangements. Harry wondered if maybe they could build some sort of shelter out on the grounds of the school that Wulfric could use. Either that, or maybe modify one of the classrooms to accommodate him.

"What about the Divination tower, Harry," Hermione finally asked. "It would be easy to convert it into something Wulfric could use; the windows could be enlarged so that he could fly in and out."

"And it wouldn't bother you in the least if that subject were never taught here again," Ron snorted. "Come on, admit it 'Mione."

The bushy haired witch turned a fine shade of red before finally saying, "Well, I never did see much use in the subject of Divination."

"Yes," Harry said with a perfectly straight face, "so you told us all one fine day, just before storming out of the class."

"Oh just shut up, Harry," Hermione said, turning and hiding her blushing face in Ron's chest.

"It's a good idea though," Larry finally said. "That's one of the tallest towers and it's large enough for Wulfric to fit in. With a few spells, the whole place could be turned into an aerie in no time."

_It's not a bad idea, Harry. It would keep me out of the weather and there is plenty of room to grow up there._

"Something you'll need a lot of," Ginny said from where she sat next to Harry. "I remember Charlie telling me that Hebridean Blacks could grow as large as thirty feet long."

"Thirty feet," Harry sighed. "I don't even want to think of the amount of food you'll need to eat."

"What do you care?" Elizabeth said with a wink. "You don't do the shopping anyway."

_So, tell me other than a few miracles, what have I missed while I was gone?_

Harry felt his mood change instantly at Wulfric's question. Slowly he filled Wulfric in all that had happened in the months since Wulfric had left them. Wulfric remained silent as Harry told him all about their trip to London. Dark spirals of smoke rose from his nostrils as Harry went into detail about his discoveries in the London Underground. When they reached the point in the story where Harry explained his theories concerning the BSA's anti-magic field, Wulfric actually started to walk around the room. Harry almost laughed as the large shape of the dragon wove in and out of the tables and benches, Amelia still sleeping happily on his back.

"Calm down, Wulfric," Ginny said quietly. "Getting upset isn't going to help anything right now."

_The damnable, BSA! Leave it to them to turn our own spells against us. I take it that you have been teaching this lot __Occulmency__ since your little discovery?_

"That, and basic dueling techniques," Harry said. "They are picking it up fairly well. They can almost last thirty seconds now."

_Are you still timing your training sessions?_

"Unfortunately," sighed Ron. "Hermione and I are the only ones that can break the minute mark against him. I swear, he just likes to make us all look foolish."

"You know that's not true, Ron," snapped Ginny. "He's trying to make sure we all make it through this alive."

The silence that fell over the room at Ginny's words was oppressive. Suddenly, everyone felt the cold seeping into their hearts as they realized that she was right. It was hard to imagine that they would all make it through this alive. For Harry, it was a fear that grew stronger every day, especially as their little group of rebels grew larger. The odds alone said that someone would die in the coming conflict.

"There he goes again," muttered Larry. "He's got that look on his face that says he's worrying about us all again."

"Maybe one of these days he'll figure out that we can stand on our own two feet," Ron replied.

"Don't hold your breath on that one," Ginny said as she playfully punched Harry's shoulder. "I'm married to him, and he still worries about me."

_I can't even truly die and he worries about me. That is Harry's nature, to put everyone else before himself._

Harry looked around the room, he tried to look put out but he could only laugh. "I'm not that bad, am I?"

Hermione smiled at her old friend, a look of understanding on her face. "You are who you are, Harry. We all know that and we love it about you. But just once, we would love for you to let us make up our own minds as to what is safe for us."

Harry doubted he would ever be able to let go, he worried too much about his friends and loved ones. However, Hermione made a good point. Maybe it was time to stop trying to save everyone and let them stand on their own. Looking around at all of them, he realized that was the one thing he was never going to be able to learn to do. As much as he loved them, he would always try to save them if it was possible.

"Give it up, Hermione," he chuckled. "I'm too old to change my ways now."

That set off a round of laughter that seemed to clear away the dark thoughts of a few moments earlier. They sat talking until nearly sunrise before Greg and Antonia finally rejoined them. The young Muggle girl still seemed a bit shaken by the presence of Wulfric, but at least now she seemed calmer. Harry had no idea what Greg had said or done, but he owed the young man his thanks for helping Antonia.

_You realize of course that we have to return to London. We can't do much until we confirm Harry's theory, and until we do that we're at a disadvantage._

Yawning, Ginny turned towards Wulfric and stuck out her tongue. "Well we aren't going to do it tonight, and I'm bloody tired."

Everyone had to agree with Ginny. It was dawn now and none of them had gotten much sleep before Wulfric's return. The only one of them that seemed remotely rested was Amelia, but that was due mostly to the fact that she had been napping on Wulfric's back for most of the night. Now, with the new day looming, all Harry really wanted to do was curl up in bed with his wife for a few hours.

"Let's call it quits for now," he said standing up and stretching. "We'll meet back here in a few hours and start planning another trip to London."

_A very good idea, Harry._

The others quickly agreed and started making their way back up to Gryffindor tower. Harry stayed only long enough to summon fireproof bedding for Wulfric and to lift Amelia from the dragon's back. Carrying the sleeping child upstairs, Antonia joined him with an expression of confusion on her face. Ginny watched this from a little ways further up the stairs. With a nod to Harry, she went ahead so that he could talk to Antonia.

"He's really not dangerous?" she asked timidly.

"No," Harry replied, trying to sound fatherly. "He's a very old and dear friend. He's also the one that raised Amelia before Ginny and I got here. Wulfric is just… well… he's unique in the magical world."

"He really never dies?"

"He can die," said Harry, remembering all the goodbyes over the years. "He's trapped in a curse that prevents his spirit from moving on, so he always comes back to us."

She seemed to think that over for a time as they walked up to Gryffindor tower. Harry thought of many other things he could say to her, but silence seemed the best option at the moment. Antonia was already very confused. Harry did not want to add to the problem. They walked in silence the rest of the way, Antonia occasionally glancing over her shoulder as if expecting Wulfric to follow them.

"He'll be ok down there, all by himself?" she asked in a near whisper.

Harry nodded and felt a little better about the situation. If she was concerned enough about Wulfric to wonder if he would be lonely, maybe she would be able to accept him in time.

"He'll be fine," he said as the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open for them. "Later today we'll work on getting him a more permanent place to sleep. If you like, you could help us."

"Really?" she asked sounding a bit surprised. "You think I'll be able to help?"

"I'm sure of it, Toni."

With a bright smile now on her face, Antonia ran up the stairs to her room. That was at least one problem solved. As he walked up to Amelia's room, he hoped that all his other problems would be as easy to solve. When he finally tucked the sleeping girl into her bed, Harry had an idea that he thought might just help all of them.

Instead of heading off to bed, something he wanted very badly, Harry made his way back out of the portrait hole and back down to the Great Hall. Although the conversation could wait until the morning, he wanted to get Wulfric's opinion on it before he forgot about it. As he walked back into the Great Hall, he was surprised to see Wulfric still awake and waiting for him.

_I thought you would be back down._

"You know me too well, old friend," Harry said, taking a seat on one of the benches nearest the dragon. "I have an idea and I would like your opinion on it."

_Why do I suddenly have chills running down my back, Harry?_

"It's not that bad, Wulfric," Harry laughed. "I just wondered if you knew how many remaining magical families were out in the world?"

_I'm not really positive, Harry. There might be a hundred still in hiding here in the UK. Maybe more in France, but that's just a guess since I haven't been there in several hundred years. The boys might know better, and they could tell you about America as well._

"I hadn't thought of looking in America," Harry admitted. "There have to be some people still out there that we could bring here to help us."

_So you will create a new version of Dumbledore's Army?_

"Something like that."

Both figures looked at each other in silence for a time. Finally, Wulfric laid his head down on the floor and looked up at Harry, a sense of sadness pouring out of his eyes. Harry understood what the dragon was feeling, it was a daunting challenge to stand against the BSA.

_We've got to find out more about the BSA before we make a move. I don't think anyone would be willing to go against them unless we can prove that we have a defense that works against them._

"I know," agreed Harry. "I think we need to start making waves. Maybe a trip to the Tower in London to see about finding Antonia's little brother."

Wulfric's head snapped up at the mention of this new development.

_What's this? What's wrong with her brother?_

Harry sighed and told Wulfric all about how Antonia's brother had been abducted by the BSA. Once again, dark wisps of smoke were issuing from the dragon's nostrils. A little more ominous was the fact that Wulfric's talons were digging deeply into the stone floor in silent rage. He looked ready to tear the entire BSA to shreds single handedly.

_I want to go with you this time._

"How do you propose we manage that little trick?" Harry asked. "You aren't exactly tiny."

_I have a theory about that. I need to talk with the Headmasters, especially Minerva about it, but I think I have a solution._

This had Harry's interest peaked. "Care to share?"

_We know that I can still use magic. I proved that when I was able to bring you back. If that's the case then I might be able to use transfiguration on myself__, maybe__ a reverse form of the __Animagus__ spell._

"To become human rather than an animal," said a surprised Harry. "If that works, then you would be able to live a normal life again."

_Well, for short periods of time at any rate. The spell is not permanent, so I would still be a dragon for most of the time. If it works, I might be able to sneak into the Tower with you._

"Why did you never try this before?" Harry asked.

_Honestly, I didn't think I could use magic before. I had a lot of time to think about it while I was waiting to hatch, that's when it occurred to me that there may be other options available to me._

They spent some time talking about the possibilities. They both agreed that it was worth talking to Minerva about it. At the very least, it would be a positive step towards fighting the BSA. Harry clung to the idea, since he currently was at a loss for anything else they might be able to do. Later, when he was laying in bed next to Ginny, Harry said a silent prayer that Wulfric's theory would work.

The first thing they did the next morning was to convert the old Divination tower into an aerie for Wulfric. Antonia seemed to warm up to Wulfric as soon as the dragon promised to do anything in his power to help her rescue her brother from the clutches of the BSA. She was so excited by his words that she actually forgot the last of her fears and hugged the great beast's scaly neck, surprising Wulfric.

_Well, I take it you don't mind me being a brute?_

"If you are willing to help me find my brother," she said, her face covered in a wide smile, "then I don't care what you are. As far as I'm concerned, you're the sweetest person alive."

"Hey," objected Greg, a roguish grin on his lips, "what about me?"

The resulting kiss between the two young lovers was so intense that everyone else turned away, faces blushing. Everyone wandered off to allow Antonia and Greg some time alone, not that they noticed anyone around them. Eventually, everyone wandered back in and started work on the room. Harry and Ron took care of the major renovations, particularly when it came to enlarging one of the windows so that Wulfric could fly in and out.

"You know, Ron," Harry said, watching as Ron carried a sledgehammer up into the tower. "I think I can just ask the castle to modify the window for this."

"Oh, come on," Ron laughed. "Where's the fun in that?"

Harry turned out to be correct, the castle would respond to certain requests by the Headmaster. He had gotten the idea from the time when Dumbledore had asked the centaur Firenze to teach Divination. The old Headmaster had modified one of the first floor classrooms for the centaur's use, and the current situation had not been any different. With a few conversations with the portraits of the former Headmasters, Wulfric soon had a spacious aerie with a large window overlooking the lake. The window could be opened so that Wulfric could fly down to the main doors and join them in the Great Hall for meals and meetings.

"Harry," Ginny pleaded, her face a picture of innocence. "Why can't we have a room like this?"

Soon everyone wanted to modify their rooms. It was only Harry's desire to maintain some illusion of control that allowed him to climb down out of the tower with his dignity intact. That did not stop him from making a quick trip to his room in Gryffindor tower to enlarge their window. Better to keep his wife happy, as he did not intend to sleep on the couch in the common room again.

After lunch in the Great Hall, Wulfric and Harry returned to the Divination tower to continue their conversation from the previous night. Harry stopped off in the Headmaster's office to collect the portrait of Minerva McGonagall; her expertise in the area of Transfiguration would be welcome in their discussion. (Why not get Dumbledore as well, he taught Minerva.)

"So, do you think it might work?" asked Harry after explaining the idea to McGonagall.

Professor McGonagall looked out of her portrait, an expression of deepest concentration on her face as she started to speak. "Well, in theory it should be possible, Harry. Unfortunately, dragons are some of the most magical creatures in our world. This means that only the most powerful spells have any lasting effect on them. The key to Animagus transfiguration is the ability to consciously guide the change, which means that Wulfric has an advantage in this case"

_The real question is whether I can use magic in this form and how long the spells would last._

"I doubt your ability to use magic will be a problem," McGonagall said, her expression the same one she normally used with difficult students. "We have already established that you can use magic. The question is whether you can use magic on the level required to perform such a complex spell."

Harry figured there was no better time to test the theory. Pulling the Elder Wand from inside his robes, he was about to hand the wand to Wulfric when Professor McGonagall stopped him. "I don't think the Elder Wand would work for this, Harry. Not being the true master of the wand, Wulfric would only be able to expect a partial result with it. The only reason he was able to use it before was because the wand seemed to sense that he was working towards your eventual return."

_That's true, Harry. The wand went cold in my hand the moment I finished the incantation to bring you back. I think it's safe to say that it will only truly work for you now._

"Just wonderful," Harry sighed. "You realize that we'll have to go back down to the Chamber and hunt up another wand for you?"

_Sounds like fun to me._

Harry shook his head as he lowered the apparition wards and transported himself and Wulfric to the Chamber. It was starting to become a bit annoying to constantly be running down here to find wands for everyone. Harry hated to think what sorry condition they would be in if Ollivander's family had not moved all of his wands here to Hogwarts. As it was, they had gotten very lucky, but that did not make it any less frustrating to go through box after box.

Nearly five hours later, and more wands than Harry could count, they found a strange wand tucked away on a dusty shelf at the very back of the collection. It was a rather long wand, nearly eighteen inches long, and there was no indication of what type of wood or core was used to make it. Being a bit tired, and ready to give up, Harry held out the wand so that Wulfric could take the wand in his mouth. If not for quick reflexes, Harry might have been seriously injured by the sudden explosion of sparks that shot from the end of the wand.

_Think we found my wand._

"No, really?" Harry asked sarcastically, trying to put out several small fires. "What on Earth gave you that idea?"

_I don't know, Harry. Might have been the sparks, or it could be the fact that my tongue tingles every time I touch it to the wand, like a Muggle battery._

"Well it's about bloody time."

While Harry cleaned up the boxes of wands, Wulfric tried to use his new wand. Since he had to hold the wand in his mouth as he tried working the spells, he looked rather funny shaking his head to imitate the required wand movements. Harry watched for a while, growing concerned that Wulfric might not actually have the physical ability to work the spells. Then an idea came to him, a memory from after he had first defeated Voldemort.

"Watch me," he said quietly.

Placing his hand on the Elder Wand, Harry non-verbally cast a summoning charm on one of the many wand boxes. The box immediately flew to his free hand.

"Try just concentrating on the spell you want to cast, just like any other non-verbal spell," Harry instructed. "If you are powerful enough, you might not need the wand movements. Like me, you might be able to just touch your wand."

Wulfric nodded and closed his great golden eyes. After a few moments Harry was about to try something different when suddenly there was a great whooshing of air as about thirty boxes flew towards Wulfric. The dragon found himself pelted with the boxes a second later, but his laughter could be heard clearly.

_I did it, Harry! I really did it!_

"I'm really happy for you, Wulfric," he said, gathering up the boxes before Wulfric accidently stepped on them.

_That's all you've got to say after I manage to perform a pretty fantastic bit of magic?_

"Did you intend to summon all these boxes at once?"

_Well, no, not exactly._

Harry sighed, wiping a hand across his tired eyes. "Then it wasn't really that fantastic, was it? You've got the ability, we know that now. What you don't have yet is the control. You've got to start from scratch because you are obviously more powerful than before, and this is not the type of casting that you are used to."

_So what do you suggest, Harry?_

Harry finished putting the boxes back on the shelf before walking over to the small pile of empty boxes that had held his friends' new wands. Carrying the pile over to Wulfric, Harry spread them out in front of the dragon before walking about twenty paces away. Harry turned over an empty crate to form a sort of goal, and then climbed up on top of it to watch.

"Alright," he called to Wulfric, "time to play Quidditch. Put the boxes in the crate, one at a time. That should help you learn precision and control."

When the first box burst into flames and showered the floor in sparks, Harry knew they were going to be working on this for a while. Luckily, it did not take as long as he had dreaded. Within thirty minutes, Wulfric was able to levitate the boxes into the crate and summon them back. After that, Harry started changing the practice by creating shining hoops in the air that Wulfric had to put the boxes through. Then it was vanishing the boxes so that they reappeared where Harry indicated, all of which Wulfric was able to do very easily after two full hours of practice.

_I think I've got it now, Harry._

"I hope so," said a very tired Harry. "I'm completely exhausted and I could eat a horse."

_We have horse in the kitchen?_

"I really hope you're pulling my leg," he said hopefully to Wulfric.

_I'm a dragon, Harry. I like meat, and lots of it, but I am pulling your leg._

Harry transported them back up to the Great Hall to get something to eat before calling it a night. There was no sign of anyone else; Harry assumed they had already called it a day. After eating a quick meal of cold fried chicken and biscuits, they said goodnight and made their way to their respective beds. Harry could barely keep his eyes open after such a long day, not to mention the long night before it. As he crawled into bed next to Ginny's sleeping form, Harry's last thoughts were of his hope that maybe with Wulfric's help they would be able to defeat the BSA. With that thought firmly in his head, Harry curled up with his wife and drifted off to sleep.

BOOM!

Harry was awake in a second, sitting straight up in bed. "Bloody hell, am I not allowed to sleep anymore!?!"


	14. Holidays at Hogwarts

**Chapter 14: Holidays at Hogwarts**

Ginny sighed as she looked out past the gates of Hogwarts, the taste of ash thick in her mouth. The last few weeks had been rough for everyone, but tomorrow was Christmas day and Ginny hoped the holiday would lighten the hearts of her new family. Thoughts of family reminded her of her own family. She missed her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren so much that it was like something she could reach out and touch. For her, this would be the first Christmas she would not spend surrounded by her entire family, yet they had all been gone for hundreds of years. It was hard to imagine that she had outlived her own children, but that was the way things had turned out. Time was making a sentimental fool out of her, not something Ginny had ever really wanted or thought herself to be.

As Ginny turned away from the gates she wondered how things had gotten so out of hand so fast. It seemed as if Wulfric's return had been the last normal thing in their lives, if you could call the return of a dead friend as a dragon normal. After that, things had quickly gotten out of hand. They had all been awakened by the bombing of the area surrounding Hogwarts. The BSA had decided that after the obvious use of magic in London that it was time to attempt an attack on Hogwarts again. The missiles had fallen from the sky non-stop for an entire week, only stopping when Ginny and the others figured the BSA had run out. The sky was now blackened with the smoke and ash from the fires that were still burning beyond the gates. Only the wards around the school had prevented the fire from spreading to the school itself. The snow that fell now was actually a mixture of snow and ash, leaving the grounds of the school looking dirty no matter what they did to prevent it.

That would have been bad enough, but then Antonia had suggested they try to find out what was going on outside their small sanctuary. Greg had volunteered to return to his home in the United States and retrieve a Muggle computer that could be used to tie into the BSA's information network. He had assured them that it would be easy for him to sneak into his old home, and that it would be better if he went alone. Harry still felt guilty for letting Greg go, but at the time it had seemed safe enough. Unfortunately, someone had figured out that Greg and his brother were wizards, and together with a group of Greg's so called friends, ambushed him only a few minutes after he arrived at his former home. They had beaten Greg severely before he had finally managed to get away from them. The injured young man had been so weak afterwards that he had barely managed to hide before collapsing.

The young Weasley boy had been in a near coma, his condition growing worse with each passing hour. Finally, fearing that they had waited too long, Ron and Harry had asked Fawkes to take them to the same place he had taken Greg. As luck would have it, Greg had managed to make it back there before collapsing; a miracle as far as Ginny was concerned, considering his condition. When they returned to the school an hour later, carrying the gravely wounded young man between them, Harry had been furious for ever letting Greg go alone.

It was three days before Greg had been well enough to open his eyes and tell them what had happened to him. Ginny still shuddered when she thought about what they had done to the poor boy. Even with Wulfric doing his very best to heal him, Greg's wounds had taken a long time to fully heal. If not for Fawkes' tears, they probably would have lost him to infection and blood loss. Ginny hated to think how devastated everyone would have been by the loss of yet another member of the Weasley clan. Antonia felt bad enough as it was. She was convinced it was her fault that Greg had been attacked. It was a foolish thing to believe, but so far no one had been able to convince the young girl otherwise. Only Harry had been able to drag her away from Greg's bedside, but even then she had returned the next morning.

Making her way along the empty corridors, Ginny wondered if there would ever come a day when they would see the hallways filled with children again. She missed the chaos of the school that she remembered as a student of Hogwarts. Even during the worst of it, Ginny had always found friendship and support within these walls. Eventually, she had even found love here at the school, and although she had avoided the place for most of her life because of her darker memories, the school was now truly a part of her. This was her home, and these were her children.

That was another strange thing about the whole situation. If she were to judge her own age by physical appearance, Ginny would guess her age to be about twenty years old, at least until she looked in a mirror and into her eyes. If the eyes were the gateway to the soul, then it was obvious that Ginny was far older than her appearance. She might not feel like she was carrying her one hundred and seventy four years around anymore, but she could not forget the experiences of her lifetime. She remembered the last conversation she had with Ron before he had left them in their previous lives.

_"You ever want to go back and do it all again?" Ron had asked._

_"Do what again?"_

_"Our lives," he said, looking at her with eyes that seemed so very far away. "Do you ever wish that you could go back and do it all again, knowing what you know now?"_

_Ginny had found it hard to look into her brother's eyes; they had seemed far too blue. "I like the way my life has gone, Ron. Don't you?"_

_"I love my life," he had chuckled. "I just wish I could have done a few things differently, like telling '__Mione__ I loved her sooner, or just spending more time with my children."_

_"Your kids turned out just fine, Ron," Ginny had assured him._

"Still," he said, looking out the window, "I would have liked to have been there more when they were little, instead of running around all the time on Ministry business."

Ron had passed away in his sleep that very night, his words still ringing in Ginny's ears. Till the night she died, Ginny had wondered what she might do if she ever got the chance to do it all over again. Now she had that chance, oddly enough, she realized that there was not a single thing she would have changed about her life. Surrounded by her new family, Ginny felt that everything was right in her life, even if the world itself was more than a bit messed up.

"Ginny?"

Looking up the stairs towards the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, Ginny saw Harry leaning up against the wall waiting for her. He looked so sexy like that, hair going every which way, hands casually stuffed in his pockets, with a smile on his face that belonged only to her. The only thing she missed were those silly round glasses he had always worn before. Seeing his emerald green eyes so clearly was a bonus, but she had always thought his glasses made him look so cute.

"Hello, lover," Ginny said, looking up into Harry's eyes. "What are you doing out here?"

"Just thought I would come find you," he said, opening the portrait to the common room for her. "I hadn't seen you around this morning, so I was curious."

"I just needed some time to think," she replied with a smile. "It's been a long time since we had Christmas here at Hogwarts, and I just wanted to make sure I got all the details right."

Harry reached out and took Ginny's hand in his, leading her up towards their room. Once they were inside, Harry lifted his wife up into his arms and carried her over to one of the large overstuffed chairs he had insisted on putting in their room. He collapsed into the chair, pulling Ginny down onto his lap and wrapping his arms around her tightly. This was what Ginny had missed the most recently, just spending time alone with her husband.

"You're a horrible liar, Gin," Harry whispered in her ear. "I know you've been worrying about the kids and us. I know because I've been doing it too."

"I can't help it, Harry," she said, curling up in his lap. "They don't know what they're in for, but we do. Greg is already injured and we still haven't figured out how to fight these people."

Harry stroked her hair as Ginny talked; it was the only thing he had ever found that would calm them both. "I know, Gin. I've done my best to figure this all out but we've been set a rather daunting task."

Ginny snorted with laughter, pulling away so she could look into Harry's eyes. He always sounded so stiff and formal when he was at a loss for what to do. Crawling up onto the arm of the chair, Ginny pulled Harry's head to her chest, his arms automatically wrapping around her waist. For so many years they had taken turns comforting each other, she had thought that eventually they would actually figure out the perfect way to do it, but that had never happened. Even after all the years they had been married, Ginny was still amazed how much of the time they just stumbled through the chaos until they found their path clear again.

"I have something for you," Harry said, looking up into her warm brown eyes. "I was going to save it until tomorrow but I think we could use it now."

Harry reached inside his shirt pocket and pulled out something small and golden. At first Ginny was uncertain of what it was, but then it hit her. The one thing she had missed the most since her return had been the ring that Harry had placed on her finger all those years ago. She knew that her original ring was currently lying out near the monument, in the tomb her old body shared with Harry's, but that was a ring from another life. This was the ring for this life, and it was beautiful. A simple gold band, but one that Ginny could already feel the magic flowing from it. This was something Harry had made with his own power, and it would last for as long as his love for her did.

"It's beautiful, Harry," Ginny said, watching Harry slide the ring onto her finger. "I love it … almost as much as I love you."

Ginny felt her heart melting as she and Harry continued to talk about meaningless little things that are only important to two people that are truly in love. Her worries about their current situation slowly faded as she realized that Harry was going to do everything in his power to defeat the BSA. When they finally made their way down to the Great Hall for dinner that night, Ginny was already feeling much better about their chances. She spent the rest of the night just being happy with her new family, decorating a massive tree that Wulfric had carried in from the Forbidden Forest.

Waking up the next morning, Ginny dragged Harry down to the Great Hall so they could open presents with the others. Of course the presents were all made by hand, but that was fine, considering those were the type of presents Ginny's mother had always said meant the most. Of course, as she watched Ron ripping open his presents like a shark in a feeding frenzy, she had to wonder if he even knew who the presents were from. Then again, from the way paper was flying into the air from where Amelia and Greg were sitting, it might just be a genetic thing in the Weasley line.

Ginny watched her new family as they opened presents and talked. Laughter was present everywhere, even when Elizabeth had Amelia carry a present over to Larry. The tension between the two of them had been a physical thing any time they were in a room together, so much so that even Ron had noticed it. For now, the two of them seemed happy to be miserable, but Ginny had plans to solve that problem.

"Hey, where's Wulfric?" asked Antonia.

"He said he'll be down in a little while," Harry assured her. "He's still working on that special project of his."

"Harry, when are you going to tell us what this big project is?" Hermione asked as she cleaned up the pile of wrapping paper that had collected around Ron.

Harry shook his head, "It's not my place to tell you about. Wulfric wanted it to be a secret for now."

Ginny watched her husband as he fended off the ever increasing number of questions regarding Wulfric's recent absence. Harry would never break his word to anyone, for it was not his way. Still, Ginny could tell that he was up to something with the great dragon, but even she had not been able to get the truth out of him so far. Given time Ginny was sure she would find a way, but for now she felt he needed to feel that he still had some secrets from her.

Right on time, Ginny heard the deep booming of Wulfric's steps. The great dragon had almost reached his full adult size now, so far he was nearly twenty five feet long. Of course, his size had limited him to where he could roam in the castle. Only the main hallways were anywhere near large enough for him to fit through, even then he could not fit into any of the rooms except the Great Hall and the Divination tower. Antonia had become Wulfric's hands in the castle, running errands for him and helping him to do research in the library by seeking out the books he needed. Ginny thought it did them both good. It allowed Wulfric to work and Antonia to feel needed.

_Merry Christmas,_ roared Wulfric, his excitement actually making him forget that he did not need to vocalize.

"Merry Christmas!" everyone shouted back.

_I've got a surprise for you all today._

Without further ado, Wulfric smiled at them, a wide toothy smile that would have been quite terrifying from any other dragon, but one that they all recognized as his version of a boyish grin. Suddenly there was a wavering in the air, like a desert mirage, covering his entire body. Slowly at first, and then faster by the moment, Wulfric began to shrink until the shimmering was the size of a man. Then, to everyone's surprise, that was exactly what he was.

Standing in front of them, casually leaning against one of the long tables stood a man in black robes. His hair was shining black, hanging almost down to his waist, hair that would make any woman jealous. His face was that of an angel, Ginny had to admit he was very handsome, almost beautiful. Still, it was his eyes that really got her attention. Wulfric's golden eyes, the eyes she could recognize almost as well as Harry's or her own, were looking out at them with a twinkle of mirth and happiness that she had not seen there in a very long time.

"Oh my goodness, you are so adorable," giggled Ginny.

"Hey now," chided Harry. "I'm way more adorable than he is."

"I'll take that as the seal of approval then," said Wulfric, his voice deep and melodic.

Amelia ran over to her "uncle" and was immediately scooped up into his arms. Tears welled up in Ginny's eyes as she watched everyone suddenly rush over to hug and congratulate Wulfric. If anyone deserved some happiness in their lives, it was the tragic figure of the ages old Wulfric. For so long he had wandered, alone and unloved, and now he had a family that cared for him so much. It was a truly wonderful Christmas gift, not only for himself, but for everyone. It was a sign that hope was still something to believe in. Joining the others, Ginny hugged Wulfric tightly and kissed his cheek, tasting the salt of tears there.

"What now?" Harry asked, still sitting on one of the long benches.

Wulfric sighed, his face a mask of determination. "Now we make plans to get inside the Tower."

"No," Ginny said, her voice trembling. "Not today, not on Christmas."

"Of course not today," Wulfric assured her. "Today we spend as a family."

Wulfric's words were meant to calm Ginny, and she knew it. However she could see the look in Harry and Ron's eyes, the look that told her that as soon as they had time alone they would begin planning. Even as they all returned to their presents, Hermione already asking Wulfric all about his transformation, Ginny knew that this peaceful time was going to come to an end soon. Honestly, she could not blame them for wanting to make plans as quickly as they could. The BSA had already caused so much damage and strife. They had to be stopped.

"Cheer up, Gin," Harry whispered as he wrapped his arms around her. "This is a time for family. We haven't forgotten that, I promise."

Harry was true to his word. They waited until the next day to start planning their invasion of the Tower in London. Using Antonia's knowledge of the layout of the immense structure, they narrowed down the places that they wanted to look at. While they worked on that, Hermione and Harry took turns testing the Occlumency shields of everyone present. Harry's theory was still only that, a theory, but it was the best they had to work with. As they did that, Wulfric and Ron made a list of places they wanted to look at. Wulfric insisted they get a look at the medical facilities, in order to find out how the BSA was finding Muggle-born wizards and witches. Ron, on the other hand, wanted to check out the training facilities for the BSA troops, a dangerous proposition, but one that Harry thought was a good idea.

"We can use disillusionment spells to get inside," he offered. "If we stick to the shadows we should be able to get a good look at what's going on before anyone notices we're even there."

Larry suggested they each carry an emergency portkey, just in case they were separated. Harry agreed, adding that the portkey should be an article of clothing so that if anyone was captured they would most likely still be able to escape. Ginny wondered if that would be enough, but she kept her worries to herself. She knew she would be going along with them this time, but she had a bad feeling about this trip into enemy territory. It just did not feel right to her, and nothing anyone said was going to make her feel otherwise.

As New Year's Eve arrived, Ginny steeled herself for the following morning, the day they would be making the trek to London. Antonia assured them that it was tradition to hold a massive celebration in the Tower that day. Everyone got the day off and spent the day partying with friends and family. If ever there was going to be a day when they could sneak in and lose themselves in the crowds, that would be it. Even with the knowledge that every last detail had been planned out, Ginny could still not shake the feeling that there was something going on that she was unaware of. It was nothing obvious, just a nagging feeling that this trip was going to be more dangerous than Harry and the others were letting on.

It had been decided early on that Antonia and Elizabeth would stay behind to watch after Amelia. The little girl seemed to realize something was going on. She had spent much of the week since Christmas clinging to Harry and Wulfric, as if she was afraid she would never see them again. Where she had gotten that idea from was a mystery to Ginny, but even when she asked the little girl why she was so afraid, Ginny could not get a straight answer out of her.

Gathering in the Great Hall for a New Year's Eve celebration seemed to be a waste of time, as no one seemed in a mood to celebrate. Antonia clung to Greg and was on the verge of tears for most of the night. Even Hermione seemed to be on edge, bickering with Ron about their preparations for the next day. Ron took it all in stride, seeming to keep his replies to his wife as calm and soothing as possible. Only Larry seemed at a loss for what to do. It was obvious that he wanted to comfort Elizabeth, but she spent most of the night talking with Wulfric about the methods he used to transform himself into a man.

Then there was Harry. Ginny had noticed that in the last week he had rarely smiled, and he always seemed to have a look of determination on his face that worried his wife. She knew that look, it was the same one he had often worn when facing a situation where he felt he was required to do something that no one else could do. Harry's expression put Ginny on edge more than anything else. Nothing she tried would make him smile, not even when midnight rolled around and Greg set off fireworks in the Great Hall. Kissing him, Ginny tried her best to cheer Harry up, but he still seemed to be lost in his own private little world.

To say that everyone was nervous was an understatement. No one bothered to hide the fact that they were seeking comfort in the arms of loved ones. Ron and Hermione were the first to leave the Hall, clinging to each other as if no one else existed right then. Greg led Antonia out a little while later, it was obvious from the look on her face that she had no intention of sleeping alone that night. Even Elizabeth and Larry seemed to set aside their problems, disappearing into one of the unused classrooms as they followed the others up to Gryffindor Tower.

"I'm not sure if that's a good sign or a bad one," Harry mused.

"They're adults, Harry," replied Ginny, although she did not feel convinced of that. "Maybe they just need some time alone to work it all out."

"So long as they don't kill each other in the process."

He was right, and Ginny knew it. Elizabeth and Larry seemed to be drawn to each other, but the anger they still nursed was something that worried Ginny. Then again, a good shouting match followed by an even better shag might be exactly what they needed to admit they really did care for each other.

"What's that look for?" Harry asked as he opened the door to their room.

"Just wondering if the kids know about taking precautions," she giggled. "I've a feeling that they might not be paying attention tonight."

"Don't worry about it," Harry chuckled. "I remembered what it's like the night before a mission. Wulfric and I cast contraceptive charms on all of them before they left the room."

"Oh, did you now?" she asked. "And what about us, Mr. Potter?"

"Oh, aye," he answered, picking her up and carrying Ginny to their bed. "I've got that covered."

It was a long time later when they finally fell asleep. Ginny felt exhausted, but calmer than she had earlier.

Her dreams that night were of the first time she and Harry had kissed and the rest of the day they had spent walking around the grounds of Hogwarts. Reliving that day in her dreams put a smile on Ginny's sleeping face, a smile that was shared by Harry even though she was unaware of it.

As the first light of the new day spilled in through their window, it was only with some reluctance that she pulled herself away from sleep and got dressed for the day.

After a light breakfast in the Great Hall, Antonia looked over all of their outfits, making sure they looked like the Muggles that lived in the Tower. Once she assured them that they looked all right, Harry provided all of them with simple gold rings that he had turned into portkeys the previous day. Ginny placed the ring on her right hand and found herself constantly twisting it around her finger as she waited for Harry to signal it was time to leave.

"I want you all to remember something," Harry said, his voice low and serious. "We're only going to look around today. There is to be no heroics or outright attacks on the BSA if it can be avoided. Just keep your eyes open and heads down. The rings I gave you are set to activate automatically in six hours, but if something goes wrong you only have to tap them four times and they will activate immediately. Understood?"

Everyone nodded as Harry finally stood and smiled at all of them. "This should be easy. We've got the element of surprise. Fawkes will drop us off in the Underground near the entrance to the Tower, we'll make our entrance there. If you think you are being followed, or if anything has gone wrong, use the rings to return here."

Once again, they all nodded. Harry smiled at all of them. Hugging Amelia he whispered something to the little girl. Whatever he said to her had her giggling immediately, and a moment later Fawkes appeared in front of them. The great bird spread out his tail feathers so that they could all take a firm hold. With a final look around, Harry nodded to the phoenix and they were suddenly surrounded by flames and phoenix song.

It seemed like only a moment later they found themselves standing together in one of the larger brick shelters. The dim red light from the tunnel provided just enough light for them to see the vague shapes around them, but not enough to see any detail. It instantly made Ginny think of a tomb. She found herself looking over her shoulder to see if anything was creeping up behind her.

'Stop it, Ginny,' she thought to herself. 'This is no time to lose it.'

"Okay," whispered Harry. "You all know your assignments. Ginny and Hermione will check out the recreational facilities, get a feel for the mood of the people. Ron and Wulfric are going to try and find the training area for the BSA guards, see what we are up against. While you do that, I will go with Greg and Larry to find the medical records facility to try and locate Antonia's brother. If you find anything, inscribe the message on your rings and it will be duplicated on all of our rings."

"You stole that idea from me, Harry," Hermione said playfully.

Everyone laughed, even those that had no idea what Hermione was talking about. Their nerves were wound so tightly that it just felt good to relax for a moment, even if it was only to laugh at a half understood joke. All too soon they were quiet again, slowly making their way out into the deserted tunnel and towards the distant blue glow of the anti-magic field. No one spoke as they walked, each of them holding their wands loosely in their hands. Harry was the first to reach the field and he cast Lumos just as he crossed into the field. The light from his wand never faltered, and he motioned for the others to do the same.

Ginny watched as everyone crossed into the field, their wands still glowing. Stepping into the field, Ginny could feel something like fingers running over her scalp, only it was inside of her head. She concentrated on the mental shields she had created, and slowly the strange feeling faded away. Looking down at her wand, Ginny saw the glow from the tip growing brighter.

'Looks like Harry was right,' she thought, following the others further into the field. 'These wankers are using some type of Legilimency with these fields.'

They made their way as silently as possible down the long tunnel until they reached a steel door at the very end. Harry cast Disillusionment charms on all of them, while Hermione and Wulfric worked on opening the door without setting off any alarms. Within moments, they were slowly making their way inside the Tower, senses focused on any noises around them. Each of them carried a map that Antonia had made for them from her experience in the Tower. Occasionally, they would hide in the dark shadows as Harry or Ron scouted ahead.

"Looks clear," Ron said, returning from scouting ahead. "Wulfric and I will leave you here."

Harry nodded and waited until Ron had hugged Hermione a final time before he shook hands with Ron and Wulfric. Ginny noticed something strange when they shook hands, almost as if they were passing something between them in the shadows. Before she could figure out what it had been, the two men were heading down a side corridor that she knew would lead them eventually to the BSA training facility. Cold fear seemed to grip Ginny's heart as she watched them disappear into the darkness.

"Come on," Harry whispered, leading them down another corridor.

After what seemed like hours, they stepped through a door that led them out into a well lit hallway. The place reminded Ginny of the hallways at St. Mungo's, very neat and clean, but very cold. Everything seemed to be made of steel and concrete here, with bright white light everywhere. Something about the place seemed to draw all the warmth out of her as she walked along.

"This is where we split up," Harry said finally. "Ginny and Hermione, you'll find the recreational section down the right corridor. We'll head to the left and take the elevator up to the medical records room. Remember to keep to the shadows. If your rings start vibrating, activate them and return to Hogwarts."

"We will," said Hermione.

Ginny walked over to the blur of light and color that she knew to be Harry, and kissed his cheek. "Be careful, Mr. Potter."

"You too, Mrs. Potter."

Ginny led the way now, Hermione staying close behind. The Recreational facility was supposed to be a large open area, like a stadium, right in the center of the Tower. It only took them a few minutes to find the gigantic room. Looking around, Ginny was shocked that such a wide open space could exist in such a large building. What was really strange was the lack of windows, almost as if the designer had wanted people to forget about the outside world and to focus on the world inside the tower. Small buildings littered the floor of the room, some of them were even surrounded by patches of grass, but it all seemed so cold to Ginny.

"Over there," Hermione whispered, pointing to a gathering of people in black suits.

Ginny nodded and they quietly made their way over to the gathering. A man with thick curly brown hair and pitch black eyes stood on a platform in the middle of the group of people. He seemed to be reading from a clipboard. As they drew closer, Ginny could hear that he was assigning smaller groups to split off.

"Group sixteen will check the northern wing," he said, his voice cold and menacing. "I want you to pay close attention to the maintenance shafts."

"They're looking for someone," whispered Hermione.

"We captured two of them," continued the man. "There may be more so make sure you keep your eyes open."

"Capture," Ginny repeated, her heart sinking at the words. "Harry?"

"We don't know anything yet," Hermione assured her.

Just then the ring on Ginny's finger began to vibrate. Ginny looked at where the distorted shape of Hermione stood. She could not imagine that things had already gone so badly. Hermione did not wait around to find out what had gone wrong. Grabbing Ginny's arm tightly, Hermione activated her ring and Ginny felt the familiar sensation of being pulled forward by her navel. A moment later and both girls landed on the floor of the Headmaster's office. Ginny stood up and looked around, seeing Harry standing nearby talking to Greg and Larry.

"Where's Ron?" shouted Hermione. "What went wrong?"

"Nothing went wrong, Hermione," Harry said, his voice calm but sad. "He and Wulfric were captured as soon as they entered the training area. Just the way we planned it."


	15. The Tower

**Chapter 15: The Tower**

"YOU DID WHAT?"

With Hermione's wand pointed directly at his face, Harry was thinking very carefully, and quickly, about what he was going to say next. He knew that his next words could have severe repercussions on his relationship with one of his oldest and dearest friends. Still, he knew that they had made the right decision, and Ron and Wulfric had argued a long time to convince Harry of that fact.

"We planned it all, Hermione," he said, his voice sounding weak and defeated. "They convinced me it was the best way to get the information that we needed."

Hermione just stared at him, her mouth hanging open in shock and disbelief. "Why would he do something like that? Ron wouldn't leave me like this."

"He did it because he didn't want the two of you to have to live in a world like this, a world where you would never be safe. He and Wulfric both did it because they want something better for all of us."

Harry watched as the realization that Ron would indeed do anything to keep her safe sank in. Hermione's wand fell to the ground with a clatter. Harry only barely managed to catch her in his arms as she fainted. He carried her over to one of the chairs in the room and gently set her down, checking to see that she was comfortable. As soon as he was sure Hermione was going to be all right, he turned to talk to the others.

**SLAP!**

Rubbing his cheek, Harry looked down at his wife in shock. Ginny looked as if she were ready to kill him, her face scarlet red with fury. As angry as she was, Harry had to admit she looked beautiful, but he also knew that right now she was ready to really hurt him. Harry was ready to accept her anger, he deserved it, but he hoped she would at least let him explain before she hexed his bits off.

"Gin," he started.

"No. Not this time, Harry!" she yelled. "You are not going to sweet talk your way out of this one! How dare you take such a risk with my brother's life, not to mention Wulfric's! You had no right!"

"It wasn't my idea," he tried to explain but she cut him off again.

"I don't bloody well care whose idea it was," she said, slapping his other cheek just as hard. "You let them, and you should have known better, Harry James Potter. After what happened to Greg, you should have bloody well known better."

Ginny stormed out of the room, the door slamming closed behind her, but her words had struck home. Harry's face had crumpled at the mention of what had happened to Greg. He knew that he had made a mistake with Greg, but this was not the same thing. Ron and Wulfric had known the dangers, had argued for days that this was the right thing to do. In the end, it was only with the greatest reluctance that Harry had agreed to this course of action, knowing that Ginny or Hermione would not forgive him for it until Ron and Wulfric were back safely… maybe not even then.

"You're in the doghouse now, Harry," Greg whispered, his eyes looking troubled as he looked at Harry. "Can't say I blame them, either."

Harry watched everyone walk out of the room, leaving him alone with the unconscious Hermione, and his thoughts and fears. He prayed that Ron and Wulfric were all right. Still he had to wonder if this idea had been a wise choice. There must have been other ways to get information from the BSA. Of course Wulfric had been right; they did not know how to use the BSA computers to search for information. Lifting Hermione from the chair, Harry carried her out of the room, wondering when he had become so much like Dumbledore that he was willing to sacrifice his friends to achieve his goal.

'Not my brightest idea,' Harry thought, carrying Hermione's limp form down the deserted corridors and up to her room. 'Just hope you can forgive me someday.'

For his part, at that very moment in the BSA Tower in London, Ron was thinking almost the exact same thing. After being captured by the BSA guards, Wulfric and Ron had been taken to a detention cell deep in the heart of the Tower. The guards had chained their wrists together with heavy steel manacles before being hung like sides of meat from hooks in the ceiling. Ron had hoped that would be the worst of it, but he had been wrong. Almost immediately after being hung on the wall the guards had started on the beatings. When one guard got tired, another took his place and the torture continued.

Hour after hour, the guards continued to beat the two men. Ron thought Wulfric was getting the worst of it. Something about Wulfric just infuriated the guards, maybe the fact that he kept laughing at them no matter what they did to him. Ron hoped it was a brave front on his old friend's face, but he was starting to wonder if maybe Wulfric had cracked under the torture. It was not until the guards finally seemed to have had enough of pummeling them that Wulfric finally turned to Ron and winked.

_They actually think this is going to make us talk?_

Ron just grunted in reply. He was actually surprised that Wulfric could still talk directly to his mind while in the form of a man. He realized that it made sense. No matter what Wulfric might look like, he was still really just a soul trapped in a living body. Somehow that made Ron feel better about their situation. For one thing it meant that their magic was still working, a very good sign. It also meant that they had a trump card they could play when it came time.

_Hold on, Ron. We'll make it through this._

Ron nodded and focused on his training as an Auror, ignoring the pain and focusing on the problem. So far the plan was working just as they had thought it would. The BSA guards assumed that Ron and Wulfric were defenseless, their fake wands having been broken after their capture. They had exchanged their real wands with Harry right before splitting up with him and the others. The idea had been that if the BSA was using security cameras down in the tunnels and in the corridors, they would see Ron and Wulfric casting minor spells. Destroying the fake wands would make the guards think their prisoners were powerless against them.

When the next set of guards came in, they stripped Ron and Wulfric bare to insure they felt as vulnerable as possible. A female guard had watched the process and leered at the two prisoners during the process. Afterwards she had taken a turn at torturing them, her instrument of choice being a leather whip that had been soaked in salt water. Evidently, she had never had the Cruciatus curse used on her; if she had she would have realized the pain of the whip was nothing in comparison. Still, after about thirty minutes, Ron was starting to feel dizzy from loss of blood. Almost as if sensing the weakness of the two men, the sadistic young woman whipped them faster and harder until Ron felt himself start to black out.

Thankfully the young woman left a little while later and a doctor took her place. He silently cleaned up their wounds and then made them swallow a thick liquid that seemed to help with the dizziness. Ron almost wondered if it was a Blood Replenishment potion, but that seemed rather farfetched given the BSA's attitude towards anything magical. Still, Ron filed that question away to ask Antonia about later. Maybe she could tell them something about the BSA's medical knowledge and whether medicines like this were common under the BSA's rule.

Time passed, one torturer after another walked in and took their turn, usually followed by a doctor. Ron realized that they would not be allowed to sleep or eat, but that was to be expected. He lost track of how many guards had been in to see them, all he knew was that they were in bad shape and had yet to learn anything about what was going on. No one asked them any questions, and at this rate he doubted that they intended to. Ron thought they might have to fall back on the second part of Wulfric's plan. Glancing over at Wulfric, Ron willed the other man to understand his question.

_Time to crack?_

Ron barely nodded in reply, but the message was clear. As soon as the next guard came in, Ron would pretend to crack under the pressure. His only real worry was whether his acting skills were going to be good enough to convince them he was telling the truth. Everything depended on the guards believing him, and the information he was going to give them. Harry had been the one to script their answers, carefully constructing a tale that was both believable and at the same time complete rubbish.

Their wait for the next guard was a short one. A short and rather stocky young man entered the room; he brought with him a cart with sheet over it. A young boy, maybe eleven or twelve years old followed him into the room, a look of shock on his face when he saw the two captives. As Ron and Wulfric watched, the young man took a long time to reveal his tools, an old-fashioned hand crank generator and several sets of cables. With deliberate care, their captor attached cables to their feet with leather straps, copper leads pressed painfully into their skin.

"I want you to watch this very carefully, William," said the young man, his voice cold and emotionless. "These men are enemies of everything good and just in the world, and we are here to make them see the truth of things."

The small boy nodded his head, fear etched clearly on his face.

"Good," sneered the other man. "You will turn that crank until I tell you to stop. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," replied the young boy in a trembling voice.

The young man proceeded to attach copper rods to the other set of cables before donning thick rubber gloves. With a gesture to the boy to start cranking, he began touching Ron and Wulfric with the rods. The sensation was unlike anything Ron had ever felt before. His whole body jerked and flailed as pain lit up every nerve. He did not have to act as if he was in pain; this was the real thing and so were the screams that ripped from his throat. Ron fought to stay conscious as the minutes slowly ticked by, he had to do something soon or they really might crack.

"Stop," he begged. "For the love of God, please stop. I'll tell you anything you want to know."

"Shut up, Ron," Wulfric snarled.

_'For the love of God?'__ You've been reading too many Muggle spy novels._

The young man stopped using the rod on Ron, but touched Wulfric's head with it. Wulfric screamed for only a moment before passing out. Ron could not be sure if Wulfric was acting or not. Not that it mattered because they had anticipated that as well.

"Talk," demanded the young man, looking as if he were hoping Ron was lying.

"Okay," Ron said, his voice sounding broken and defeated. "Just tell me what you want to know and I'll tell you."

For the next quarter of an hour Ron answered every question that was put to him. He told his interrogator all about how they had been sent to sabotage the Tower. When asked how he had been able to perform magic inside the Tower, Ron explained that it was thanks to a new type of wand, invented by a secret group of wizards and witches. The young man ate up every falsehood that Ron spewed out at him. Every lie seemed to make the sneer on his face that much more condescending.

"Enough," the young man finally said, his face a glowing mask of triumph. "Wait here, boy. The Leader will want to hear this personally."

He nearly ran out of the room, leaving the small boy trembling as he stood looking at the two men hanging on the wall.

"Is your name William Cartwright?" Wulfric asked gently, his eyes popping open the moment the other man was gone.

"Yes," answered the boy, his face pale with fright.

_Luck seems to be on our side today. I don't trust it, but we'll deal with __that later_

"Antonia asked us to find you," smiled Wulfric.

"You know my sister?"

"Yes, we do.," Ron assured him. "She misses you very much."

"The instructors said she was dead," William said, his voice sounding stronger now. "I knew they were lying to me."

"They've lied about a lot of things," said Wulfric in a cold whisper. "Stay near Ron, William. When he tells you to, you hold on to him for dear life. You understand me?"

Puzzled, William nodded and walked over to stand near Ron. They did not have to wait long for the young man to return. Following close behind him was a tall figure in a black robe, the hood pulled up to hide his face in shadows. There was something about the man that Ron almost recognized. Something about his posture, or maybe the way he moved looked so familiar to Ron.

"A Weasley," said the shrouded figure, his voice deep but cold. "I thought with the exception of the two youngest, we had killed the last of the Weasleys?"

"Sir," answered their young torturer, "the last reports clearly state that all but the last of the accounted for Weasleys were killed several years ago. The last two are now on the most wanted list. We were told that one of them had been captured a few weeks back but he managed to escape before he could be taken into custody."

The dark figure bowed his head in acknowledgment. "Were the ones that allowed him to escape punished?"

"Yes, sir!" snapped the young man. "They were terminated immediately."

"Good."

Seeming to forget about the guard, the tall hooded figure walked over and stood directly in front of Ron. Looking up shadow where the man's face should be, Ron wondered if there was actually a face under the hood, it was like looking into a pool of blackest midnight. No glint of light from an eye, or even the light whisper of breathing, seemed to escape the shadows of the man's hood. Not even the smell of the man's breath, foul or fresh, could be detected. It was like talking to an all too solid ghost.

"Eric here tells me that you have been telling him some absolutely fascinating tales," the dark man whispered. "I wonder if you could tell them to me now?"

"Who are you?" Ron asked, with what he hoped was the right amount of fear. "How did you know I'm a Weasley?"

"Dear me, I forgot to introduce myself," chuckled the hooded figure. "My subjects call me the Leader. I have another name but I only tell that to my very good friends. As for how I knew you were a Weasley, well it's obvious from that shocking red hair and freckles. I fear it's a dead giveaway."

The man walked over to stand in front of Wulfric. "I know who you are, Mr. Weasley, but I fear I don't know who this man is yet. Would you mind telling me his name?"

_Don't use my real name. _

"His name is Neville," Ron said, using the first name that popped into his mind. "Neville Longbottom."

"Really," whispered the man. "Strange, since I was personally there when the last Longbottom drowned in South America. I think you're lying to me, Ron. You don't mind if I call you Ron, do you?"

"I'm not lying," protested Ron. "He's the last."

"I see, then I should be much nicer to him," the Leader whispered.

Suddenly the Leader held a sharp knife in his hand. With several quick flicks of his wrist and arm, he sliced Wulfric's chest open, down to the muscle beneath. Wulfric winced at the pain but continued to act as if he were unconscious. Several more quick slashes followed, each one opening up yet another wound on Wulfric's body. Blood mixed with sweat poured down Wulfric's body, dripping off his bare feet to pool underneath him.

"Stop it, you bastard!" Ron bellowed.

Moving faster than Ron could follow; the Leader was suddenly standing directly in front of him. The Leader clasped a hand around Ron's throat in a vice like grip. Barely able to breath, Ron wondered once again if this plan had been a good one. It was only by sheer strength that he was able to keep his throat open, his neck tensed like a steel cable. One of them would tire before the other, and Ron knew that if it were him, the Leader would choke him to death. As it was, the man had cut off the blood to Ron's brain and the room was quickly going dark.

"Astounding," the Leader snarled. "You're not as weak as you look."

Letting go of Ron's throat, the Leader stepped away from him. It was sheer luck that the madman stopped when he did, Ron could not have kept up the silent struggle for much longer.

"What are you really here for, Ron?"

"I told your goon everything," Ron said, still trying to sound as if he was afraid of the man. "We were sent to sabotage the Tower."

"Oh, I'm sure that's what you want me to believe," the Leader replied casually. "We both know that's not the real reason you're here. You came here for information. I think you were captured before you could make good your escape. Did you really think you could defeat the BSA? I have made them invincible since I came to power, and killed their weakling leaders."

_Find out more, Ron. _

'No shit,' Ron thought, glancing at Wulfric. "You killed all the others?"

The hooded form did not so much laugh at the question as he snarled at it. "I didn't just kill them…I slaughtered them like pigs. They brought this world to its knees, and then just sat back and let it go to hell. I wanted to create a new world from the ashes, and they just wanted to eat, drink, and fuck."

"So you killed them all," Ron whispered. "You took it all over, everything, everywhere?"

"Oh yes," laughed the Leader. "I got rid of all of them, the entire ruling council, and then I started making changes. I must say, I was surprised at how easy it was to turn these children into my loyal troops."

Gesturing to William, the Leader walked over to the trembling boy and laid a fatherly hand on his shoulder. The gesture looked rehearsed, almost mechanical, and the coldness of it sent a shiver down Ron's spine. This was not a gesture of comfort or kindness; this was a gesture of control and domination.

"Under the old regime," the Leader continued, "children like William here would have been killed and harvested as soon as they were discovered. Imagine, wasting all that magical potential for such a small gain."

_What does he mean by harvested? _

"What do you mean?" asked Ron, his face a mask of fear to hide the rage he felt. "He's a wizard?"

"All my guards are, Ron," laughed the tall dark man. "As they say, fight fire with fire. The ones that complete their training are immediately inducted into my personal guard. The ones that fail… well, we have other ways for them to serve the greater glory of the BSA."

"But what do you mean by harvested?" asked Ron.

The Leader, possibly feeling confident that his secrets would never be revealed, nodded and walked over to stand in front of Eric.

"Oh yes," he said, his voice as cold as the grave. "Long ago we found a use for them. Imagine our surprise when we discovered that you could bind the magical potential of a witch or wizard to an inanimate object. Such wonders we could accomplish then. The field that prevents you from using magic was only the first such discovery. By ripping the magical energy out of their bodies, we can bind it to a field generator that can be used to control hundreds of witches and wizards all at once. It's really very simple really, and it provides them with a purpose they never had before."

_They are using them to make a type of Horcrux. That's how the generators can break into human minds; they are using their souls to cast the spell and machines to unlock those minds. _

Ron felt his stomach clench, he felt like he would be sick at any moment. They killed the children, countless numbers of them, and then ripped their souls out of their bodies. How many had already died? How many more would die if the BSA was not stopped? What made it even worse was the fact that other children were being used to carry out this madman's campaign of genocide. The rage that was building in Ron's mind was now like a ticking bomb inside of him, ready to explode at any moment.

"Let me get this straight," snarled Ron, all traces of fear gone from his voice. "You are the last of the BSA leaders? You train young witches and wizards to be your guard. The ones that don't make it are killed and turned into Horcruxes? That about sum it up?"

The Leader seemed to shrink back at Ron's questions. "How do you know that word? All knowledge of Horcruxes was purged from the world!"

"We're done here, Neville," Ron said, his voice colder than the Leaders.

"The hell you are! You're never leaving this place alive!" screamed the Leader. "Without your wands you can't do magic. I won't allow you to."

Ron sneered at the screaming man. "Like you ever had the ability to stop us. Show the man what he's really up against, Neville."

The Leader was about to call for more guards, but it was too late. Wulfric's eyes had popped open at Ron's words and now he was shimmering as he changed back into a dragon. He nearly filled the room with his bulk, pinning the Leader and the young guard against the door with his tail. A moment later, he bit through the manacles holding Ron to the wall.

"Hold on to me, William," Ron said to the young boy. "Don't be afraid."

William wrapped his arms tightly around Ron's waist as Ron yanked a tuft of hair from his head. The hair, removed earlier and turned into a portkey by Harry, and then reattached started to glow blue. Not waiting a moment, Ron wrapped an arm tightly around Wulfric's neck while the dragon whipped his tail away from the two trapped men. An instant later, they were gone, leaving the Leader staring at where they had been only a moment before.

The guards outside the room heard the bellow of rage from inside the room, followed a moment later by a scream of terror. The screaming continued for a few moments, the guards outside debated on whether they should violate the Leaders orders and enter the room. As they were about to rush in there was a blinding flash of green light and the screaming stopped. A moment later the Leader stepped out of the room, his robes drenched in blood.

Throwing back his hood the Leader smiled coldly at the waiting guards. "Clean that mess up and have my scientists meet me in my quarters."

The guards snapped a crisp salute in acknowledgment, watching the leader of the BSA stride down the dark hallway. Many of them shivered at the cold power that seemed to pour off him, not that any of them would ever admit being afraid of him. Still, to many of them it seemed strange that a man with such vividly red hair could fill them with such a sense of absolute cold.


	16. Return to Hogwarts

**Chapter 16: Return to Hogwarts**

Their landing was not nearly as graceful as Ron could have hoped for. That could have had something to do with the fact that William landed directly on top of him. Whatever the case, it took Ron several moments to untangle himself from the boy and the dragon. When he finally got free of them both, he could hear the alarms going off in the castle, announcing that someone had arrived unannounced. A moment later and the doors to the Great Hall were thrown open and the running forms of his friends and family were rushing towards them.

"RON!"

Hermione was the first to reach him, and he had never seen her look more beautiful. His wife did not seem to be able to stop crying and kissing him. Of course, that did not stop her from pounding on his chest several times between kisses. He just clung to her tightly, accepting the kisses and punches as if they were one and the same thing. He pulled her aside as the others greeted Wulfric.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear, holding her tightly to his chest and covering her face in kisses.

"You prat," she cried. "How could you leave me like that? I can't lose you again! Don't you know I would die without you?"

"I'll never leave you again, 'Mione."

"Prat," Hermione whispered, the rest of what she intended to say was lost in the kiss that he gave her.

As Ron was led off by his crying wife to find some clothes, Wulfric wrapped his tail around the unconscious boy lying near his feet. Evidently, William had hit his head when they landed, but it didn't look too serious at the moment. However, before he would turn the boy over, Wulfric wanted to talk to Antonia.

_I've brought you a present, Antonia, but before I give it to you there are some rules._

Antonia walked over to stand in front of the dragon's massive head, staring into his eyes. "What present, and what rules?"

_i__What__ I've brought you is very important, but you need to keep a very close eye on it until we are sure that it is what it seems to be. Forgive me for being so mysterious, but I must have your word that you will do as I ask before I show you the gift. Do I have your word? _

Looking deeply into Wulfric's golden eyes Antonia nodded her head in agreement. Wulfric knew she was going to forget about her promise as soon as she saw her brother, but as he glanced at Harry he knew that at least someone understood what he was saying. Harry nodded to show that he really did understand. Lifting his tail, Wulfric watched Antonia's face light up like the sun.

"WILLIAM!"

Rushing over to her brother, the young woman cried as she cradled her unconscious brother's from in her arms. Tears of joy poured down her cheeks as she brushed the small boy's hair from his face. Ginny and Hermione rushed over to check that William was alright, assuring Antonia that he had just bumped his head. Once they were sure, Greg carried the small boy out of the Great Hall and up to the infirmary for further testing. As Ginny was about to follow along with the others, Wulfric stopped her.

_i__ Ginny, wait! We have to talk __first ._

Ginny turned to look at him, her expression one of fear and frustration. "The only reason I'm not hexing you to pieces is because you've made Toni so happy."

_i__Don't__ thank me for that, yet. It was too easy to find him, Ginny. They presented him to us like a present on a silver tray. _

"You think he's a spy?" Harry asked, looking worried.

"He couldn't be, Harry," Ginny said stubbornly. "He's too young to be a spy."

"Draco Malfoy was the same age as William," was all Harry said in reply, his meaning far too clear.

_i__ Harry is right, Ginny. Some of the people that interrogated us were almost as young as William. The Leader told us that he's been training these children to be his army. I can't imagine William was exempt from that training because of his age. There's something else as well… _

"What?" asked Harry, a sense of dread filling his chest.

_i__ The BSA guards, and that young boy, are all wizards and witches. I don't know what that means yet, if it means anything at all, but we can't take any chances until we know for sure if he is what he seems to __be ._

"Wizards and witches," Ginny repeated. "He's training the children he takes to be his goons?"

_i__That__, and worse. The Leader told us a lot of things he probably wouldn't have if he knew we had it in our power to escape. I had hoped that would be the case when I forced Harry to allow us to do this, but I never dreamed we would learn so much. _

As Wulfric filled Harry and Ginny in on everything that had been learned, Ron was trying to calm his wife down. Hermione was still furious with him for leaving her, but she was also terrified of him leaving her again. She clung to him so tightly that he finally gave up trying to get dressed and carried her over to their bed. Sitting down on the bed he pulled her up onto his lap and rocked her gently in his arms.

"It was the only way, 'Mione," he crooned. "If we hadn't done it, we never would have been able to find out what we needed to know."

"But you left me behind again," Hermione sobbed. "I was so worried I would never see you again. It was just like in the woods again… just like when you died again. I died a little more each day without you."

Ron sighed; this was the side of Hermione that no one other than him ever saw. No matter how self assured she seemed to everyone else, she was actually very fragile inside. She might seem to be pragmatic, and a bit cold sometimes, but that was only to hide how deeply she really cared about people. Books allowed her to hide what she was really feeling, but Ron had known her long enough to know that her heart was bigger than anyone could imagine.

"I'll never do it again, 'Mione," he whispered. "I will never leave you behind like that ever again. I don't care if Voldemort himself rises from the dead, I will never allow anything to come between us."

"You better not," she whispered, kissing him fiercely. "You belong to me, don't you ever forget that."

Pulling her back further onto the bed, Ron smiled as he kissed her back. Some promises were worth keeping, and this was one of them. As he deepened his kisses he knew that he would never stop doing what had to be done in order to protect the woman he loved. Still, as long as she was with him it was all worth it.

A very pleasurable two hours later, Ron and Hermione walked down into the common room to rejoin the others. Ginny was sitting as far away from Harry as possible, obviously not having forgiven Harry for his part in their plan. Ron shook his head, knowing that he and Wulfric were directly responsible for Harry's current problem. Kissing Hermione softly on the cheek, Ron walked over to where his sister was sitting and dragged her off the couch and out through the portrait hole.

"What do you think you are doing, Ron?"

"Shut up, Gin," he said gently. "You need to stop blaming Harry for my decision."

"I don't know what you are talking about," Ginny insisted, her face turning a dangerous red as she stubbornly crossed her arms across her chest.

"Don't you bloody lie to me, Ginny Potter," Ron said, his voice taking on an edge. "You know damn good and well that Harry would never have willing let us go. Wulfric and I forced him to agree with our plan, and have no doubts, it was our plan. He hated the idea, but he knew we were right."

Ginny looked up into her brother's eyes, the bright blue eyes she had known her entire life, and knew that he was telling her the truth. She still did not like that Harry had kept it from her, but she knew that he had been forced into this plan of theirs. Now she felt guilty for being angry at him about it. Harry would have never put Ron in danger if he could help it. In fact, knowing Harry as well as she did, Ginny was surprised he had not insisted that he be the one to be captured, instead of Ron or Wulfric.

"You could have told me," she whispered. "Harry could have told me."

"No he couldn't," Ron assured her. "You never would have let us do what we needed to do, and neither would Hermione. It had to be this way, and you know it."

It was true, and Ginny knew it. If it had been Harry instead of Ron, she would have done everything in her power to stop him from going through with a plan like that. Harry would have done it anyway, but Ginny would have tried to stop him. Thinking about it now she realized that Hermione would have done the same thing in her place. Neither of them wanted to lose their husbands, and given Hermione's reaction the last time she had lost Ron, well, it was best not to dwell on that.

"All right," Ginny said finally. "I get the point. Just remember that if you ever do anything like that again, I will personally set fire to your bits."

Ron gave her a wry grin and a hug before looking her in the eyes. "You'll have to wait in line behind Hermione. Now, if you don't mind, I think we've kept that lot waiting long enough."

Wrapping an arm around his sister's shoulders, Ron led her back into the common room. The others were all gathered. Wulfric, in his human form, was talking quietly to Larry and Greg by the fire while Elizabeth watched closely from nearby. Harry was sitting on one of the large couches, Amelia sitting in his lap, watching as William and Antonia talked in hushed whispers at one of the tables. Hermione, true to form, was sitting on one of the other couches reading a thick book. Ron just smiled as he looked around; their family seemed to grow larger every day.

Ron's words must have hit their mark with Ginny. As soon as they entered the common room she made her way directly to Harry, sitting down next to him. Looking rather surprised, Harry wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulder as Amelia smiled at both of her adoptive parents. For his part, Ron just smiled as he watched both red heads kiss Harry's cheeks.

Watching the others gave Ron a feeling that anything was possible. They had infiltrated the Tower and lived to tell about it; didn't that mean they could still win? Sure, he would probably have nightmares for a while about some of the things that had been done to him while in the BSA's tender care, but he had lived through worse. Not that it mattered now, he was home and surrounded by his family.

His family, his real family, he wondered what had happened to them? No one really talked about it, but Ron thought about it often. He missed his children and grandchildren. He knew what had happened, that he had died and been returned, but that was about it. His memories from his time in the afterlife had faded quickly after returning to Earth. Ron remembered only vague images, half remembered dreams, impressions of happiness and love that seemed to fade as quickly as they came. He had even tried using a pensive, but the vial he stored the memory in was empty by the next morning.

The only thing that kept him from going insane was a firm knowledge that he had agreed to be here to help Harry, and the fact that Hermione was there by his side. Whatever else she might be, and it almost pained him to think of it in such an overly romantic fashion, Hermione was Ron's soulmate. Watching her from where he stood next to the portrait hole, Ron could not help but smile as he watched her chewing on her bottom lip. You could only ever see the real Hermione, the one that Ron loved more than his own life, when she was unaware that you were watching her. Only then could you see the vulnerable young woman that cried while watching Muggle movies, and loved to cuddle in bed on Saturday mornings. Ron loved both Hermiones, but the one that only he knew was his favorite.

"What are you looking at, Ron?" Hermione asked, looking up at him to find him looking at her.

"Just looking at my favorite lady in the entire world, 'Mione."

"Mum is here?" asked Ginny, her head poking over the back of the couch.

"Watch it," warned Ron, which earned him a rude gesture from his sister and a laugh from Hermione.

Soon they were all joking and laughing, a welcome change from the silence and gloom that had filled the castle for the two days that Ron and Wulfric had been gone. Hermione had told him all about what had been going on while they waited for Ron and Wulfric's return. Ron felt guilty about his part in their misery, although he still felt it had been the right decision. If what they had learned was any indication, they should have done it much sooner. Sitting down next to his wife, Ron wondered how many lives had been lost thanks to the BSA in the time since they had returned to Hogwarts.

"What's wrong, Ron?" Hermione whispered, her eyes never leaving her book.

"Nothing," he whispered back. "Just thinking."

Sitting down her book, Hermione looked over at her husband and smiled wistfully. "Let me guess. Thinking about the kids?"

"Yeah," he said with a trace of sorrow in his voice. "It just breaks my heart to think that they could have lived to see the BSA come to power."

Hermione's head bowed as if under the weight of the world. "I know, Ron. I remember all the great-grandchildren and their smiles. I worry about what happened to them after we were gone."

"The Leader," Ron began, "he told us that Larry and Greg are the last of the Weasleys. The BSA killed off all the rest of them."

Tears filled the bushy haired woman's eyes. Ron knew how she felt as he wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumb. He could still see the faces of his children, and all of their children, their entire branch of the Weasley clan exterminated by the BSA. It was a cruel joke that a family so well known for the size of their families was now reduced to just four people. Of course he also felt sorry for Harry and Ginny, Amelia was the last of their line and once she was married, the Potter name would vanish from the Wizarding world, forever. Ron had heard Ginny talking with Hermione about it, and they both agreed that they would attempt to have families if the BSA was defeated. But if the BSA won, well it would hardly matter.

"We've got to beat them, Ron," whispered Hermione, her voice as thin and sharp as a razor. "We can't let them defeat us. These kids deserve a chance at a better future."

"I know," he said, wrapping an arm around his wife and leaning over to kiss her. "I won't let them hurt anyone else."

How he intended to make that happen, Ron was uncertain. Looking over at Antonia and her brother, he was not even sure it was possible. The way the boy seemed to shy away from human contact worried Ron more than a little bit. What had the Leader done to the boy? It was a question that had kept repeating in Ron's mind ever since finding him in the Tower. That was wrong, they had not found the boy, William had been presented to them like a lure. While he had been unconscious, Ron had searched his clothes for anything unusual but had turned up nothing. Ron had even gone so far as to perform a physical search of the young boy, using every secrecy detector he could think of, and still nothing. Oddly, it was the lack of anything suspicious that made Ron worry even more. Whatever had been done to the boy, Ron had a bad feeling about the situation.

Then there was Harry to worry about. Ron had known Harry for too long to be fooled by the smile on his friend's face. Harry was furious, not with Ginny, but with the BSA. When Wulfric had told Harry about the BSA creating Horcruxes, well, Harry had not taken it very well. Thankfully, Ginny had left the room before they had told Harry. He had been so furious that he had nearly exploded, literally. Ron and Wulfric had watched silently as Harry walked out of the Great Hall, across the entrance hall, and out the front doors. At first Ron just thought Harry was going to yell a bit, but when Harry pulled his wand, Ron knew it was not wise to stand too close. Ron had no idea what spell Harry used, but when a rather large boulder on the other side of the lake exploded into a ball of blue white fire and smoke, it was terrifying.

"The amount of power needed to do that, at this range," Wulfric had said, his voice sounding awed and afraid, "well I've never seen anything like it before."

"I have," was all Ron had been able to say.

The last time Ron had seen that spell used, several Aurors had been killed and nearly sixteen square kilometers of land had been turned to ash. Ron had discovered later on that it had taken four very powerful vampires to cast that spell, but Harry's version seemed even more powerful but with a much tighter focus The thought of what a spell like that could do in battle against the BSA filled Ron's veins with ice. The certain knowledge that if Harry thought it was the only way, he would turn the BSA Tower into a pile of rubble and that was what really scared Ron.

'He would try everything else first,' Ron thought as he watched Harry playing with Amelia. 'It would be his last resort, but if it was the only way to stop the BSA and the Leader, he would do it.'

There had been a time when neither Harry nor Ron would have considered taking a life. That had been before watching more than a few Aurors and innocent civilians killed by Dark wizards and witches. At some point they had become harder and colder when it came to dealing with criminals and Dark wizards. It was only Harry's promotion to Minister of Magic that had kept him out of the field, fighting alongside Ron. Together they had been an unstoppable force, but without Harry at his side Ron had become tired with the constant struggle. Retirement from the Aurors had seemed a better idea every day, for the desire to spend more time with his family had become overpowering.

Not a month after Harry had become Minister of Magic, Ron had retired and turned the reins of the Auror Department over to a new generation of wizards. In hindsight, Ron now thought it had been a mistake to retire when he had. Sure he had gotten to spend a little more time with Hermione and the grandchildren, but he wondered if he had stayed longer if it would have prevented the current situation. Of course he never would have lived to see the rise of the BSA, but if he had just trained the Aurors better then maybe they would have been able to deal with the situation when it arose.

'No,' Ron thought as he watched Elizabeth watching Larry. 'I taught them everything I knew, so did Harry. Nothing could have stopped this from happening.'

Elizabeth looked up at Ron, and smiled sadly before turning back to look at Larry. They had yet to reconcile, although Hermione had hinted that they had tried. Evidently, they had once again gotten into an argument right before Larry left for the Tower. Elizabeth was a mess according to Hermione, and Larry was almost as bad. Both of them had said things they now regretted, but were too proud to apologize for. It reminded Ron of his early relationship with his wife. Their arguments were the things of Hogwarts legends, as was their eventual realization that they were meant for each other. From the look of things, Elizabeth and Larry were headed down the same path. At least they would be if they could ever bring themselves to talk to each other again.

'It's like school all over again. We're learning a new approach to life and meeting new people to call friends.'

He still missed his old friends. George and Gwen had been the third portion of their lives, right next to Harry and Ginny. The six of them had done everything together for years. Loosing Gwen so early had been a crushing blow for George, but he had survived in order to care for his own family. It was sad to think that only in death had George been able to truly find his other half, and his better half. Still, Ron and Hermione had made him welcome in their home until his death. Only George could have managed to blow himself up in a massive fireworks display, so bright it had people talking about it for years afterwards.

'Leave it to him to pull one last prank on his way out the door,' he silently chuckled. 'Mind, he did always say he wanted to go out with a bang. Although, I think he was talking about a good old fashioned shag, not a warehouse full of fireworks."

"Time for bed, Amelia," Ginny was saying.

"Do I have to?" whined the small girl. "Uncle Ron and Uncle Wulfric just got home. I want to stay down here with them."

"That why you've been snoring into my shoulder for the past thirty minutes?" Harry said as he carried Amelia up the stairway to her room. "I'll be back in a few, Gin."

Now was the time for real conversation, Ron knew it. Antonia's brother had already gone up to bed in the boys' dormitory, a room having been prepared for him earlier. Once Harry returned it would be time to discuss everything they suspected, along with everything they were dreading. It was maybe twenty minutes later when Harry made his way back down to the common room. Gone was any hint of a smile from his face.

"I just want to know why you didn't kill that fucker when you had the chance," Harry said, looking directly at Wulfric.

"Don't think I didn't try," snapped Wulfric, his human form looking tense and upset. "Didn't matter how hard I pressed against that robe he was wearing, it was like trying to crush a diamond with your bare hands."

"Was it magical?" Ginny asked, pulling Harry down to sit next to her.

Wulfric looked at her for a moment before slouching down in his chair. "I couldn't tell you. All I know is it was bloody impossible to scratch it or compress it. Think I broke several of the guard's ribs but not so much as a cough out of the Leader."

Ginny nodded grimly as she crawled into Harry's lap. "So we've got another mystery to figure out. Every time we solve one, another takes its place."

Larry cleared his throat before speaking. "Seems to me that the real question we need to be asking ourselves is what that bastard's goal is."

"That's fairly obvious," laughed Greg. "Bastard wants to rule the world."

Ron shook his head, "He already does. He's the sole controlling force behind the BSA. He wants to remake the world in his image now."

"I tried Legilimency on him while we were in there," Wulfric said from his chair. "It was like trying to read a chalkboard, all black and gritty. Was more like trying to read an animal than a human."

"Is it possible he's not human?" asked Harry, leaning forward and staring at Wulfric intently.

"No way of knowing till we get a look under that hood of his," answered Ron. "He could be any number of things, but it's not worth worrying about it until we know for sure."

Antonia raised her hand, like a student in class, before speaking. "Can I say something?"

"Just speak, Toni," Hermione assured the young woman.

"Well," Antonia began, "I was always raised to believe that the leaders of the BSA were the next best thing to God. We were always told that they were the ones that set things right after Harry assassinated Voldemort. Sorry, I know better now Harry, but that's just the way we were always taught."

"It's ok, Toni," Harry said with a nod. "I know what they say about me and as long as you know it's not true, it's no skin off my hide."

"Thanks, Harry," she replied with a smile. "What I meant to say was that I've never heard of the leaders of the BSA using magic or being monsters. Even suggesting such a thing would probably get you arrested for treason in the Tower."

"I don't understand though," mused Elizabeth. "If they are so anti-magic, then why are they using it against us, and how?"

This was the part of the conversation that Ron had been dreading. From the look of it so had Wulfric. They had already told Harry about the use the BSA had been putting magical folk to, but now they would have to tell the rest of them.

"They've been using magic against us all along," sighed Wulfric.

"What do you mean?" asked Larry.

"He means," answered Ron, "they are ripping the souls out of witches and wizards to use in their anti-magic field generators, and God only knows what else."

The room was dead silent as the idea slowly sank in. Antonia seemed to be the one hit hardest by the news. The knowledge that her brother could have suffered the fate of so many others seemed to hit her like a runaway hippogriff. Elizabeth moved over to sit next to her friend and offer comfort. Greg watched, his hands twitching, but he could not bring himself to move.

"Horcruxes," Ginny whispered, her voice sounding cold as ice. "I thought we had seen the last of that type of magic when Tom died."

"I'm sorry," Larry said with a look of confusion on his face. "What is a Horcrux?"

"The darkest type of magic possible," answered Wulfric. "Also the reason I am cursed to live in one animal body after another. Normally, it is a spell used to bind a portion of a person's soul to an inanimate object. It can be modified though, which is what I did in my fear of death. In my case, I ripped my entire soul from my body and bound it to an animal. Evidently the BSA learned to do something similar, and it allowed them to use magic against the wizarding world."

"But how do you do something like that?" asked Greg. "I mean isn't the soul supposed to remain intact and then pass into the afterlife after the body dies?"

"We're not here to discuss the methods of making Horcruxes," interrupted Harry before Wulfric could say anything else. "That particular spell should be wiped from existence, at least if I have anything to say about it."

"Alright," Greg said, sounding slightly ashamed. "So we know they are training some magic users to be soldiers, and the rest they are using as what… spare parts?"

"Pretty much," Ron answered. "That crazy bastard was almost proud of the fact that they were killing wizards and witches, mostly children, to create weapons against us."

Antonia, looking more in control of herself, finally asked the question that Ron had been dreading. "So what did they do to my brother then? Wulfric told me I had to keep a close eye on him, so that must mean something is wrong."

Ron sighed and then walked over to sit beside the young woman. Putting an arm around her shoulder he smiled at her, trying to be as reassuring as possible.

"We don't know for sure that they did anything to him," he said gently. "We're just trying to make sure that they didn't."

"But you think they might have, don't you?" she said looking directly into Ron's eyes.

Ron debated lying to her, telling her that it was just his over active imagination, but she deserved better than that. "We found him too easily, Antonia. It was like they put him there just so we could find him. Right now we don't know what that means, if it really means anything at all."

Ron watched as this new information soaked into the young girl's already confused mind. The idea that something might be wrong with her brother was causing her even more distress. He could see the wheels spinning in her mind. The look on her face was one he had seen hundreds of time, usually on Harry's face when he was feeling guilty for something beyond his control.

"Now before you go upsetting yourself more than you need to," Ron said softly, "we are going to do everything we can to make sure that nothing happens to your brother."

Whatever else Ron was going to say was cut off by the sound of running feet. Turning towards the sound, Ron watched the young man in question running through the portrait hole. Harry saw it as well and he was on his feet and following the boy in a flash. Everyone followed him out through the portrait hole and into the passageway beyond. Ron looked around, but the boy was gone.

"Find him," ordered Harry, then turning to the Fat Lady's portrait, "tell all the portraits to locate that boy, now."

Without waiting for her response, Harry and Ginny were off and running. Ron kissed his wife's cheek and then headed for the main doors. He would have killed to have the Marauder's Map right at that moment. As it was, Hogwarts was enormous and Ron could only hope they would find the boy before he got himself in trouble. That was if the boy didn't turn out to be a spy and do something worse. They were all in for troubled times if that was the case.

Reaching the bottom of the main staircase, Ron saw a dark shadow running into the Great Hall. Chasing after the shadowy figure, Ron threw the doors open just as the figure stopped to look around. William stood looking around the room as if he were looking for a way out. Obviously he had been unable to get out the main doors since Harry had sealed them earlier.

"Need some help, William?" Ron asked quietly, blocking the door behind him.

William spun around to stare at Ron with a glass-eyed expression that Ron recognized only too well. When had someone been able to use the Imperius curse on the boy? A better question was who had managed it. As Ron watched the boy's face twist into an animal like snarl, he could only hope the boy would not prove to have any other surprises in store for him. Drawing his wand, Ron advanced slowly towards the controlled young man.

"If you can hear me in there, William, you've got to throw this off. Whatever the voice is telling you, you've got to fight it."

"The Leader warned me of your lies," William spat back, his voice filled with rage. "He told me to stay close to you…"

"But he didn't tell you what to do if you found yourself free of him," Ron cut in. "You are free of him, William."

"We live for the Leader!" shouted William, but there was confusion in his eyes. "He loves us, he said so!"

"Is that why he took you from your sister?" Ron shot back. "Is that why he lied to you and told you she was dead?"

The boy's face went pale at Ron's words, but the mask of rage still contorted his features. Ron could tell that the boy was suffering from something more than just the Imperius curse, maybe psychological conditioning. Whatever it was, the boy's eyes told Ron that he was aware that something was wrong, but could not break free of it. That was the problem. Ron could stun the boy and that might break the curse, but unless William through off the curse on his own…

'It's like they conditioned him to accept the curse,' Ron thought as William kept looking around the room for a way out. 'They made him a willing victim and called it loyalty. He's got to throw it off or they'll be able to control him at any time.'

Ron could hear the others pounding on the door behind him.

"Stay out!" he called, and the pounding stopped instantly.

"Come to kill me, have they?" hissed the boy.

"No," sighed Ron. "They are worried about you. Your sister is worried about you."

"You lie," screamed William, but the confusion was back in his eyes. "She abandoned me to come here with you people."

"Now who's lying, William?" Ron fired back. "She's done nothing but try and find you since we rescued her. When we brought you back with us, she was happier than I've ever seen her."

"LIAR!"

William charged at Ron, his eyes filled with confusion and rage. Ron just stood his ground and caught the small boy in his arms. William kicked and punched, he even bit a few times, but Ron did not let him go. No matter how much William struggled, Ron held on tightly, constantly whispering in the boy's ear. It was like trying to hold on to a force of nature, for the boy did not seem to tire. Ron envied the boy, because after two days of being tortured by the BSA, he could not say the same for himself. One of them was going to collapse soon, and Ron feared it was going to be him the way the boy was fighting him.

"Throw it off, William," Ron kept whispering. "Antonia loves you and she needs you, so throw it off."

"I'll kill you!" screamed the boy.

"No you won't, William," soothed Ron. "What would your mum and dad think of you doing that? What would your sister think of it? She loves you so much, William. She needs you to come back to her."

"You lie!" William screamed. "Only the Leader cares about me! He cares about all of us!"

"Yet he tortured my friend and me , and he took you from your sister."

"You're evil," spat the boy.

"Is your sister evil? Can't you hear it, William," whispered Ron, inching the both of them towards the doors. "Can't you hear your sister out there crying?"

It was no bluff. The sounds of Antonia's sobbing could be clearly heard through the thick wooden door. William recognized the sound of his sister's crying, Ron could see it in the boy's eyes.

"The Leader lied to you, William," Ron whispered, his arms feeling like lead now. "He never cared about you, but your sister does. She always has."

"But… he said she was… he said she was dead," William panted. "He wouldn't lie to me."

"If he wouldn't lie to you," countered Ron, "how can she still be alive, how do you explain it? The Leader lied to you. He used you. Toni is still alive, William. She's still alive and she needs you."

William went slack in Ron's arms. At first Ron thought he might have passed out, but a moment later he could hear the boy crying softly. Carrying the young boy over to one of the benches, Ron sat down and pulled the child onto his lap. It was hard to think that William was only a year or two older than Amelia, especially after the struggle he had just put up. Now he just seemed a lost and lonely child.

"Bastard lied to me," William sobbed. "He tried to make me a monster, just like him."

Ron sighed, it was over, William had thrown off the curse and the conditioning if he could speak his mind. "It's over now, William. You're free of him."

A few minutes later and William was clinging tightly to Antonia, the two of them crying their eyes out as the rest watched. Ron could only smile that he had been able to finally return the real William to Antonia. Maybe now both of them could be happy, something they greatly deserved.

'And I deserve a good night's sleep with my wife by my side,' he thought as he watched the brother and sister. 'Kid's going to hate the BSA more than the rest of us combined, not that I blame him.'

With a last glance over his shoulder, Ron took Hermione by the hand and silently led her up through the castle to their room. Closing the door behind them, Ron led the unusually quiet Hermione over to the bed before falling backwards onto it.

"What's got you doing the silent treatment?"

"I'm just so proud of you, Ron," she said and she started to undress. "You did the one thing that none of the rest of us could have, you saved him."

Watching his wife shed her clothes, Ron dragged his eyes back up to hers before saying anything. "I just did what I had to. I wasn't going to watch another family be destroyed by the bloody BSA."

Shedding the last of her undergarments, Hermione started to undress Ron. Normally this would be the highlight of his day, but Ron was so exhausted at the moment that he doubted he would even be able to perform. Well, maybe one portion of him could perform, but not the rest of him.

"I don't think I can do this tonight."

With a wicked grin on her face, Hermione finished undressing him before crawling up on top of him. "Then I guess you are just going to be required to lay there and let me do all the work tonight. I want to thank the hero that saved a small boy, and made me love him even more."

Ron smiled up at his wife before pulling her down for a long, passionate kiss.

"Who am I to argue, 'Mione?"


	17. Downtown London

**Chapter 17: Downtown London**

"There are three of them over by that burned out building on the south side of the square," Ron whispered, pointing off to his left.

"I see them," Harry whispered back. "There should be more of them. They don't take a piss unless there are ten or more of them, not to mention a commander."

"Think it's a trap?"

"Of course it is, just like the last group was," Harry answered, pointing at the poorly hidden lights of the anti-magic field generators.

"Can't we just stun them all and grab one?" Larry asked as he watched the surrounding buildings.

Harry shook his head saying, "We don't want them to realize we can still do magic inside their new anti-magic fields."

Harry gestured around the square to the poorly hidden field generators. The BSA was anything if not predictable. The fact that they always made sure that there was a blue light on the field generators was just a sign of their inability to think anyone was smart enough to beat them. What was worse, they always made sure the lights were clearly visible when they hid the machines, defeating the purpose. Whether this was a sign of the BSA's over-confidence, or their stupidity, was unclear.

"We have to let them think their new machines are keeping them safe," Harry said, his voice tight and angry. "They'll just start killing more people to make stronger ones if we prove them wrong."

"No more deaths," Greg said through clenched teeth. "They've hurt enough people."

Harry glanced at Greg, the young man nearly invisible in the deep shadows that surrounded them. Greg had taken William's treatment by the BSA, and Antonia's subsequent anguish as a personal insult. Harry had watched as Greg started training harder than any of the rest of them. He had quickly reached the point where Ron had taken him personally under his guidance, to train him further and to try and help the boy find some peace.

"He considers any harm done to Toni to be an insult to him personally," Ron had said a few nights before. "I like his spirit, but I worry he'll do something reckless."

Harry worried about that as well, and not just with Greg. Ginny had been acting strangely for a few days now. Since Ron and Wulfric had returned, his wife had almost seemed… feral for lack of a better word. They had all been angered by the way in which William had been treated, but Ginny had been furious. She still was as far as Harry could tell. If the power of her curses and hexes was any indication, Ginny was REALLY pissed off.

'I've got to find a way to calm everyone down,' he thought, watching the guards closely. 'We're all strung so tight we just might snap at any moment.'

Harry felt a tug on his thick robe and looked over at Larry standing next to him. The young man pointed at a deserted house on the opposite side of the street from the three guards. At first it looked empty to him but a moment later Harry saw a flash of metal in an upstairs window. After a few quick spells to confirm it, Harry knew that the guard was alone in the building, the perfect target.

"We've got a live one," Harry said quietly to the others. "Ron, you and Wulfric know what to do. Both of you be careful."

"He better be," Hermione said as Ron kissed her cheek before Apparating away.

"Hermione and Ginny," Harry continued, "you're our emergency transport so keep your eyes open and be ready to move if this goes bad."

Both women nodded, and with a wink from Ginny, they apparated to their prearranged vantage points on the roofs of the buildings on either end of the street.

Turning to look at Larry, Harry smiled at the serious look on the young man's face. "You're our 'sniper' so make sure you put those Muggle slugs in deep, but no more accidents."

"That wasn't my fault," protested Larry. "He jumped in the way."

"Poor guy's arse will never be the same," laughed Greg.

"Well no accidents this time," Harry said, trying to suppress a chuckle. "Remember, no less than three meters between your targets and the guards."

Larry nodded before disappearing with a sharp crack, his pockets full of lead slugs taken from Muggle bullets. It had not taken Harry long to teach Larry and the others how to apparate safely. Harder had been teaching William the basics of being a wizard, although the young boy seemed to be learning quickly. That might have something to do with the fact that Amelia was going out of her way to help him every chance she got. It seemed that his adopted daughter had developed a tremendous crush on the newest addition to their little family.

'Bloody school is turning into a giant version of Madame Pudifoot's tea shop,' he thought with a sigh. 'If this wasn't my life, I'd think it was a badly written romance novel.'

"Ready, Harry?" Greg asked finally.

Harry nodded as he pulled a small red firework from his pocket. Scavenged from the hundreds of crates of Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes down in the Chamber, this tiny firework promised to be quite distracting for the BSA guards. Tapping it with his wand to ignite it, Harry vanished it to a location about two hundred meters above them and waited for it to detonate. Five seconds later, it did.

BOOM!

The explosion was so powerful that it shattered the few remaining panes of glass in the buildings around them. Harry watched as the three guards on the street, and then four more that had been hiding in the building behind them, walked out into the street to look up at the sky. He smiled as he watched their confused faces as they looked up. Fred and George would be thrilled to know that their handiwork was still causing mischief after all these years.

"Let's go," Harry said calmly.

Taking Greg by the arm, he side-apparated them to the small rear garden of the house where their target was. Hurrying, Harry pulled Greg into the dark shadows of what had once been the decrepit buildings back door and kitchen. Once inside, Harry could hear the heavy thumping of Wulfric's wings as he and Ron passed overhead, fire raining down from the dragon's mouth. For his part, Ron was dropping handfuls of dungbombs, also scavenged from the WWW crates. The guards raised their guns to fire up at the pair, but a moment later the ground around them started exploding in sprays of dirt and gravel as Larry's Muggle slugs started hitting their marks.

"Now," Harry whispered.

Making his way out of the kitchen and into the hallway that led to the front of the house, Harry led Greg almost silently into the front hall. A quick silencing charm insured that what little sound they did make did not reach the guard upstairs. Harry moved even faster now that he was sure that they would not be heard. Taking two steps at a time, he and Greg reached the second floor landing and sprinted for the front bedroom. Greg reached the closed door first, kicking it open and then ducked as Harry completed the stunning spell he had started the moment Greg approached the door. The guard at the window had barely begun to turn around when the stunner hit him in the side of the head.

"Perfect," Harry said with a grim smile, watching the guard slump to the floor.

Greg quickly petrified the guard before casting a feather light charm. Harry performed a charm duplication on the guard, creating a copy of his body as Greg carried the unconscious guard out of the room. In the weeks since Ron and Wulfric had returned from the Tower, this was the first time they had been able to capture a guard. Since the BSA had collapsed all the tunnels leading into the Tower, this was the only way they could get information. At least the only safe way they could get information.

Pulling a large purple firework from under his robe, Harry lit its long fuse and sat it down on the floor next to the fake body of the guard. Harry calmly walked out of the room to rejoin Greg at the top of the stairs. Harry took a firm grasp on Greg's shoulder before side-apparating them to their hiding place further down the street. From there they would be able to watch the fireworks and make sure that no one was accidently injured. Harry knew this was a kidnapping, but he did not think they needed to injure anyone if they could avoid it.

The guards were running for their lives now, terrified of what they thought was a real attack. Ron and Wulfric were making their last planned pass over the street. It was only as they passed the house where the guard had been that Wulfric sent a blast of flame into the ground floor of the building. In moments the building was completely engulfed in flames, and that was when the fireworks ignited. The explosion itself leveled the surrounding buildings, but it was the column of fire that took everyone's breath away. Soaring several hundred feet into the air, there was no chance of missing it.

"Might want to use something a little less showy the next time, Harry," Greg said as they watched the remaining BSA guards dig themselves out from under the debris.

"Well I wanted something that would cover our tracks," Harry said with a chuckle. "That definitely did the trick. Come on, time to go home."

With a nod, Greg vanished with a sharp crack. Harry followed a moment later and arrived outside the gates of Hogwarts. He refused to look over his shoulder at the devastation that he knew lay behind him. Instead he made his way onto the ground of the school, following after Greg and the others who had already arrived. Ginny was waiting for him just inside the gates.

"Are you ok?" she asked as Harry reached her.

"I'm fine," he replied, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Everything went like clockwork."

Wrapping an arm around his waist, Ginny laughed. "Last time you told me that, you blew up a Muggle petrol station and spent a week modifying the witnesses' memories."

Looking at his wife, Harry smiled. "Well that went like clockwork too, just really badly maintained clockwork."

Ginny playfully slapped his arm, a laugh like music filling the air around them. It had been a while since she had heard his wife really laugh. It was good to see a real smile on her face rather than the cold one she had worn for a while now. Only Amelia seemed to be able to make her really smile, and even then it was a sad little smile as Ginny worried about the small girl's future. Harry worried as well, but he could not hide it as well as his wife so he tried to ignore it altogether.

"Are you ok, Gin?" he asked as they walked towards the school. "You've been so upset recently. I just worry that we're all getting lost in this mess."

Ginny stopped dead in her tracks causing Harry to stumble. "I'm angry, Harry. I'm so bloody angry. That bastard has taken so much from us, and that's after what had already been taken from us."

"The BSA took something from everyone, Gin," he agreed looking into her eyes, eyes filled with a rage he had never seen there before. "Come with me."

Taking Ginny's tiny hand in his, Harry led her down towards the lake. Ginny followed along behind him looking rather confused until they reached the edge of the lake and Harry drew his wand. Pointing at a large rock a few yards away, Harry cast Reducto and reduced it to a smoking pile of gravel. Ginny got the idea immediately. Within moments the two of them were calling out rocks at varying distances and doing their best to demolish all of them.

"Bloody BSA," Ginny hissed before every spell she cast.

Faster and faster they cast their spells. Soon they started trying new spells, Harry would summon a rock towards them and Ginny would blast it from the air. Other times Ginny would levitate a rock high into the air and Harry would vaporize it. The more they cast, the lighter Ginny's mood became until finally she collapsed on the snowy ground laughing.

"I needed that, Mr. Potter," she laughed, looking up at Harry.

Collapsing on the ground next to her, Harry pulled her close and kissed her. "I thought you might like that, Mrs. Potter."

"I can think of something else I would like even better," she whispered, her voice sounding rather deep and husky to Harry.

The look in her eyes was playful, but Harry knew she was up to something. By the time he realized the danger, it was already too late. Before he could do anything to stop her, Ginny had dumped a handful of snow down the back of his cloak and jumper. Springing to her feet, Ginny ran for the castle with Harry in hot pursuit. He scooped up a handful of snow and within moments, the snowball fight was well and truly underway. The air was soon thick with snowballs as the two of them ran around the grounds of the school chasing each other. Their laughter echoed off the school, filling the grounds with the sound of joy and happiness for the first time in ages.

When they could finally run no more, they called a truce and ran for the warmth of the school. Once inside, Ginny dragged Harry into the first broom closetshe could find. Ginny quickly sealed the door behind them and cast a silencing charm. Harry for his part was too busy feasting on his wife's neck to care and before long they were tearing the clothes from each other in their haste to make love. Their lovemaking was fierce, seeming to last forever. When they were both finally spent, Harry pulled Ginny closer and leaned against the wall of the closet on rubbery legs, enjoying the sensation of just being together with his wife.

"That's got to be my favorite way to get warm after a snowball fight," Ginny sighed contentedly.

"Not going to hear me complain, Gin," Harry replied, kissing the top of her head. "We should do that more often."

"Definitely," she agreed. "Although I think my jumper is ruined."

"Just keep your cloak closed and no one will notice," Harry growled, leaning down and kissing her bare chest. "That will have to wait for a while though, because I have other plans right now."

"Oh my," was all Ginny could say before she lost the ability to say anything at all.

It was almost two hours later before they made their way out of the broom closet. Ginny ran blushing up to their room, her hands holding her cloak tightly closed to hide the fact that Harry had ruined her jeans as well. Harry cleaned up the broom closet before he followed after his wife. Everything would have been fine if he had not run into Hermione just as he stepped through the portrait hole and into the common room.

"Harry, you wouldn't happen to know why Ginny just ran through here, would you?" the bushy haired witch asked with a snort of laughter as she looked at the bundle of torn clothing he was carrying. "Oh, I see. I do hope you cleaned up after yourselves?"

"Shut up, Hermione," he laughed, as blushing he headed up to his room.

When he entered their room, Harry found his wife already asleep on their bed, a smile on her face. Smiling at the sight of his wife's naked form laying there, Harry dumped their clothes in the bin and then went looking for clean clothes. Ginny deserved some rest, but he had things that had to be done. Harry dressed quickly and then pulled a blanket over Ginny before making his way back down to the common room. As he walked into the room, everyone was there and looking at him with knowing smiles.

"Have fun, mate?" Greg asked with a wicked grin.

"Greg!" snapped Antonia. "That's none of your business, and you know it."

"What? I just wanted to know if he liked his snowball fight," explained the young man, but no one believed him.

Harry just laughed as he looked around the room. Everyone was smiling, and if the cost of those smiles was a bit of embarrassment for him, so be it. Besides, making love to his wife had been just the thing to lift his own spirits. So what if everyone had figured out what he was up to, he felt better and he hoped that Ginny did too. It was only too bad that they did not have sit around and laugh at each other.

"Where's our newest guest?" he asked. "I need to have a little chat with him."

Ron's face turned serious immediately. "We've got him in one of the empty classrooms. We didn't wake him up because we figured you would want to be there when we did."

"Alright, let's go see him then. Wulfric, you come with but the rest of you stay here."

Ron led the way out of the common room, Wulfric and Harry following closely behind him. Harry was unsure of what the guard would do when he woke up. Harry feared he would be violent until they could break the BSA's hold on him. They were just passing the old Transfiguration classroom when he heard Amelia's voice from inside.

"You're saying it wrong," she said quietly. "It's Wingardium Leviosa, not Wingardinum Liviosay."

"Well if you're so good at it," William's voice said sarcastically, "let's see you do it then."

"That brings back memories," Harry whispered to Ron. "Think it will end the same way as before?"

"Probably," Ron said with a chuckle. "Hopefully he's not as thick as I was."

"I don't think that's possible, Ron," Wulfric said under his breath.

"Watch it, scale face."

They silently left the two children practicing magic as they continued on their way to the classroom where their prisoner was being held. Harry was adamant that they would not resort to torture to get information out of the guard. He hoped that once the young man was released from the Imperius curse, he would willingly help them. Ron and Wulfric were not as hopeful. Ron had already pointed out that if William was any sign of what they should expect, the guard would have undergone some type of behavior modification as well.

When they reached the door to the classroom where the guard was, harry took a deep breath and tried to set aside his emotions. Nothing was going to be accomplished by losing his temper. Opening the door, all three men walked inside and found the guard still asleep on the floor of the empty classroom.

"Envenerate!" said Ron forcefully.

The guard's eyes fluttered open and a second later he jumped to his feet. Instinctually he reached for the gun he had been wearing at his side, but that had been disposed of when they first got him to Hogwarts. Realizing this, the guard slowly backed away from Harry and the others, his eyes looking wild.

"Filthy pigs," he snarled. "You won't get anything out of me with your demonic ways!"

Harry sighed and pulled his wand. With a whispered spell, Harry freed the young man of his curse. They all watched as the young man staggered backwards for a moment, his eyes rolling back in his head. A second later he stood bolt upright and stared directly at them.

"Is that you?" he asked sounding confused. "Why are we here, sir?"

Harry wondered who the young guard was talking to. He was about to ask when the guards face suddenly turned to a mask of rage.

"You're not him!" he screamed at them. "You're the false one that he warned us about. You might look like him, but you are nothing but filth!"

"Calm down, son," Wulfric said gently. "We're not going to hurt you. Just calm down and listen."

"Filthy magic users!" screamed the guard, his eyes looking even wilder. "Sons of the devil! You will not take my soul from me! Sodomites! Idolaters! Spawn of Hell! The Leader will strike you down for your sins against him!"

"Well this is going well," mumbled Wulfric.

"Should we stun him?" Ron asked under his breath turning towards Harry.

Harry shook his head and put his wand away before slowly approaching the enraged guard. "I promise, we're not going to hurt you. My names Harry, what's yours?"

"Your name is Satan!" screamed the guard, his eyes scanning the room for a means of escape. "I will not let you have my soul, foul beast!"

"Come on," Harry said, trying to sound as comforting as possible. "We just want to help you."

"Rot in hell, you demons!"

Harry sadly shook his head and turned to look at Ron. "Got any suggestions?"

"HARRY!"

Harry spun back around expecting to see the guard rushing him, but the crashing of glass told him that was the least of his worries. As fast as any of them were to draw their wands, the guard had been faster in his mad dash for the window. He was through the window before anyone could do anything to stop him. The guard's maniacal laughter reaching them through the shattered window until finally it came to an abrupt stop a moment later.

"FUCK!" bellowed Harry, rushing towards the window.

It was far too late to do anything. Leaning out the window Harry could see the guards crushed body lay sprawled on the courtyard five floors below them. At a flat out run Harry made his way out of the classroom and down to the main entrance. He knew he had to get to the body before anyone saw the carnage, especially the children. It barely registered on him that Ron and Wulfric were right behind him.

Arriving at the courtyard, Harry felt his throat tighten at the sight of the guard's body. This was not the way things were supposed to have turned out. He had honestly believed that once they freed the guard from the Imperius curse, he would come around and be a willing addition to their rebellion against the BSA. Never would it have occurred to him that the man would be willing to take his own life rather than be free of his tormentors.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered as he stood beside the man's broken body. "This is all my fault. I should have been faster. I should have prevented this."

"It's not your fault, Harry," Ron assured him, laying a comforting hand on his friends shoulder. "The only one to blame for this is the Leader and the bloody BSA."

Harry knew his friend was right, but it still bothered him. Watching silently as Wulfric vanished the body and blood of the dead guard, Harry once again wondered how they could defeat the BSA and the Leader. If all of the BSA troops were willing to sacrifice their own lives, what options did that leave them? The world was run by these poor souls and they were only a handful of rebels.

Hermione was waiting for them when the three men finally made their way back inside. "I take it that something went wrong?"

"You could say that," said Ron as he walked over to his wife.

Ron quickly filled his wife in on the guard's fate. "It took us all by surprise. By the time any of us knew what was happening, it was already too late."

"I still want to know who he thought he saw at first." Wulfric said as he walked past them and into the school. "There for a moment I thought he was looking at me, but I think it might have been you, Harry."

"Maybe, but I don't think so," replied Harry. "I got the impression he was looking past me."

"He was mentally unbalanced, maybe he just thought he was seeing someone else," Hermione said, laying her head on Ron's shoulder. "After just being released from the Imperius curse, maybe he was just having a hallucination?"

"Maybe," Wulfric said as he disappeared into the castle, "and maybe we have bigger problems then we thought before."

"Like we don't have big enough problems as it is," Harry sighed.

Ron could only agree with his friends. This was not going well.


	18. Forbidden Forest

**Chapter 18: Forbidden Forest**

The Forbidden Forest echoed with the sounds of shouts and explosions. It sounded almost as if a war were being fought in the half-lit woods. Two dark blurs occasionally ran from shadow to shadow, multicolored light flying from their outstretched wands. It was not the first time these two men had practiced in the deep, dark woods, but it was the first time they had ever talked during one of their duels.

"I know what I saw, Harry," Ron yelled as he leapt clear of the Stunner his friend had just shot at him. "That bloke might have been crazy, but he was looking right at me."

Harry rolled out of the way of the Stinging hexes that Ron fired back while still in mid leap. "He was completely nuts, Ron. Maybe he…"

"Maybe nothing, Harry," yelled Ron as he dove behind a tree stump. "I try to always trust your instincts. This time I need you to follow mine, okay?"

Harry held his hands up above his head and slowly stood up to show that he was calling a time out. Ron was right, and Harry knew it. He was always asking Ron to accept that his instincts were right. Now Ron was the one whose instincts were telling him something important and Harry felt he needed to support his friend. That meant he needed to listen closer to Ron's theories about the guard.

"Okay, Ron," he said sitting on an old log. "I'm listening, so tell me what's on your mind."

Ron stepped out from behind one of the large old trees and walked over to sit across from his friend. "It's hard to put into words, Harry, but I'm sure he was looking at me. For a moment there, that poor bugger seemed so happy to see me, like he thought I was there to rescue him or something."

"Okay," Harry said looking at Ron. "I still think he was delusional, but if your intuition tells you there is more to it, then I believe you. What do you think it all meant?"

"That's just it, Harry," Ron said, his face twisted in frustration. "I don't know what it means, but I know what I saw in his eyes. He was really seeing me, and he thought I was someone that could help him."

"Then I guess we'd better find out who he thought you were."

Ron nodded. "I think that's the only thing we can do right now. We have to find out what's going on or we will never win this war."

"You still think we can win it?" Harry asked quietly.

"I don't know if we can defeat the BSA if we go head to head with them," Ron answered. "What I do know is that we will lose if we don't at least try."

Harry nodded, then stood and the two of them made their way to the castle. Harry was worried about what Ron's intuition might mean for them. This battle, war really, had already become a fight that Harry was afraid they could not win. If the troops of the BSA were willing to die rather than be captured or freed, what hope did a handful of wizards and witches have against them?

_'If they are willing to lose their lives and take ours in the process,'_ he thought, _'then we are already defeated.'_

"Harry?" Ron asked, looking back over his shoulder at the forest behind them. "Do you think anything still lives in there?"

"Deep in the heart of the forest," Harry sighed. "Wulfric told me the centaurs are still alive, though they refuse to come out where humans can see them anymore. There is also a heard of hippogriffs somewhere in the mountains. Ginny swears she saw a unicorn one night before you arrived, but I've never seen one."

"The BSA did this as well, didn't they?"

Harry nodded, looking away from the nearly empty forest. "They decided that although wizards and witches were bad, magical creatures were worse. According to Larry, Hogwarts might be the last place in all of England, and possibly the world to have a breeding population of house-elves. Maybe the kindest thing the pureblood families ever did when the BSA was taking over was to free their house-elves and send them to Hogwarts. Sean bound them all to the school so they would always be safe, and in return they have helped defend the school ever since."

The two men walked in silence, each remembering their youth at Hogwarts. Ron remembered the first time he had ever seen a house-elf, and how he had wanted to give one to his mother so she would not have to work as hard. Harry, on the other hand, was remembering his first flight on a hippogriff. That first ride on Buckbeak had been an experience like no other in his life. Now the forest was empty, the magic of the place diminished with the loss of each and every creature slaughtered by the BSA.

'_Dark thoughts_,' mused Harry as they entered the castle. '_Then again, these are dark times_.'

Entering the castle, the two friends made their way up to the Gryffindor tower in silence. There were no words that could express their feelings of despair at the prospect of all the atrocities that the BSA had committed. Just thinking about it seemed to make the day seem dimmer and colder than it really was. Harry wondered if there was even a chance that they could win.

"There you are," Ginny said, looking up from one of the chairs by the fire. "I was starting to wonder what had happened to you."

"We just went for a bit of practice in the forest," Harry said, his face covered in the best fake smile he could manage. "You weren't up yet, and I didn't want to wake you."

It sounded like the truth, even if it was only a lie. Harry had not been able to sleep at all the night before. His mind had never stopped replaying the death of the guard. Guilt gnawed at Harry's soul, telling him that it was his fault the poor man was dead, even if logic told him otherwise. In either case, sleep had not been in the cards for Harry. Instead, he had curled up as tightly as he dared with his wife, hoping that her presence could soothe his troubled mind. Unfortunately, that had not worked either.

Ginny knew Harry well enough to know when he was lying to her. The dark shadows around his eyes told her plainly that he had not slept the night before. No one had slept well after the suicide of the BSA guard. She had spent most of the morning wandering around the castle talking to everyone. They were all disturbed by the events of the previous day, and Ginny understood completely. When they had first been pulled into this new world, Ginny had thought it would be to fight a battle that could be won with a little effort and determination. Now she doubted they would ever win against the BSA. The numbers alone dictated that they could not win, but that did not mean that Ginny was unwilling to try. If for no other reason, she wanted to create a world where Amelia could grow up and not have to fear for her life every day.

"Call everyone together," Harry said quietly as he headed towards the stairway. "I'm going to take a shower. Then I think we all need to have a long talk."

Ron nodded and stepped back outside the portrait hole to ask the Fat Lady if she would pass it along to the other portraits throughout the castle that there was going to be a meeting and that everyone was needed in the common room. Stepping back inside, he watched as Harry slowly made his way up the stairs. Harry looked so worried, like he had while they were on the run during the hunt for the Horcruxes. At least then they had been able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now they could barely even see the tunnel for all the darkness.

_'It's hard to even imagine that we have a chance against the BSA,'_ Ron thought to himself as he took a seat near the fireplace.

Eventually the others started to make their way to the common room. No one looked happy; in fact they looked ready to break at any moment. A sure sign of that was when Hermione walked in without a word to anyone and immediately curled up on Ron's lap. Ron just held her close and wondered what they were going to do. This was not what he had signed up for.

"Everyone here?" Harry said a minute later as he walked back down the stairs. "Good…"

Harry walked over in front of the fireplace and began pacing back and forth. "We need to figure out what we are going to do next. As I see it, we have two options. Option one, we stay here in the castle and pretend the world outside does not exist. Option two, we continue to attack the BSA guards until we are either all captured or killed. Bad options if you ask me. That's why we need to talk, to figure out any other options we may have."

"I have an option," said Ron, his voice sounding strangely emotionless. "You won't like it though."

"At this point, Ron," Wulfric said quietly, "I think we will take any options we can get."

"I agree," added Elizabeth.

Harry watched Elizabeth for a moment. She and Larry seemed eternally at each other's throats. One minute the two of them would be fighting like cats and dogs, the next they would be off shagging each other senseless. Harry did not think it was a very healthy relationship, but then again, he had only ever dated two women in his life, and he married the second one. So long as they avoided killing each other, Harry did not feel it was his place to tell them what they could or could not do.

"Alright then," continued Ron. "I say we sneak back into the Tower and kill the Leader."

"Okay," Ginny said calmly, her words sending a shiver down Harry's spine. "But what if the next guy to take over is just as bad as this one?"

"We take him out, too," Ron said, his voice cold as he looked over at his sister. "We have to stop the BSA, and this might be our only way."

"Have we actually reached the point where cold-blooded murder is a viable solution?" asked Harry, his face pale.

Wulfric sighed and looked into the fire before answering Harry. "I think we actually passed that point when the BSA started killing people and using their souls as tools to kill even more people."

"We reached it when they killed my family," whispered Elizabeth.

"And ours," added Antonia, William nodding his head in agreement.

"And mine," chorused Amelia and Greg.

Harry was stunned to hear such words from Amelia. Of course he had been the same age as her when he discovered that his parents had been killed by Voldemort. Was it that surprising to hear such a thing from her, someone that had lost just as much as Harry had? Harry could only hope that she was not so jaded by her experiences so far that she could not learn to live a normal life.

"We reached it the day my brother died trying to save innocent lives," Larry said finally, his eyes burning with fury.

Harry looked around at all of them. "You all realize that you are suggesting the cold-blooded murder of another human being?"

Wulfric shook his head before looking Harry directly in the eyes. "I disagree, Harry. Cold-blooded murder is when you round up the families of those you do not like and you kill them one by one. This is not murder… this is justice for all those that have died so that a madman like the Leader could feel powerful."

Harry thought about what Wulfric said. It sounded like the same thoughts that had gone through his mind when Tom had been in power. So many people had died by that point, and it had come down to either Tom or him. If he was to be very honest with himself, it was the same this time as well. Why else had he been asked to return? No matter how much Harry disliked the thought of taking a life, he had to agree that they had reached the point where it was either kill, or be killed. The Leader would only continue to kill as time passed unless they stopped him now. Once again, Harry and his friends were being called upon to make a sacrifice, so that others could lead normal and happy lives.

"Say I agree with this," Harry said finally. "How do you plan on getting close enough to him to be able to kill him?"

"We lure his troops away," answered Ron. "Stage an attack far enough away from the Tower and large enough that they have to come running out to counter-attack. While the troops are trying to put down the attack, we sneak in the back door and bang… no more Leader."

"Who do we get to distract the guards while we are sneaking into the Tower?"

Harry really did not need to ask as every hand in the room went up almost instantly. It was no surprise to him that they all wanted to help, even Amelia and William had their hands up in the air. He almost laughed when Ginny walked over and forced both their hands down, shaking her head. She looked so much like her mother at that moment that Harry glanced over at Ron, who was also trying to hide a smile.

"Sorry, you two," she said gently. "I think this will be a job for the adults. You'll have plenty to do here though."

Harry almost laughed as he listened to the two children arguing with his wife. It reminded him of the time that Ginny's mother had told her she had to go to bed while Sirius told Harry about the Order of the Phoenix. They did not seem to take it any better than she had. She was just about to escort them out of the room when Harry stopped her.

"Let them stay, Gin," he said softly. "They have just as much to lose as the rest of us, so they deserve to hear what has to be said."

Ginny looked like she was about to argue the point, but then thought better of it. "You're right, Harry."

So began the planning of the assassination of the Leader. It was decided that Harry and Ron would be the ones to sneak back into the Tower and kill the Leader. The others would attack a patrol of BSA guards to create a distraction. While that was going on, Harry and Ron would use Disillusionment spells to make their way to the Leader's chambers. There, they would either kill him outright, or wait for his return to do the job. In either case, the distraction was to last no longer than thirty minutes before the others would return to Hogwarts. That would reduce the risk to them, and possibly lull the BSA into believing that they had given up.

"Fawkes can get you in and out of the Tower, Daddy," Amelia supplied. "He'll do anything I ask him."

This simple statement confirmed Harry's suspicion that the strange bird had bonded himself to the young girl. That gave Harry hope that Amelia would be well protected if things went badly. Now if only they were all so lucky.

"Fine," Harry said with a smile to the young girl. "Then I guess the only thing left to decide is when we do this."

"Tomorrow," Ron said in a voice like the crack of doom. "The longer we wait the more people the Leader will hurt or kill."

"Will we be ready by then?" asked Elizabeth, her worry evident on her face.

"I'm ready now," Larry answered firmly. "I've been ready for this for a long time."

"Just remember," Ron said, his voice sounding hollow and sad. "This is not a sneak and grab mission. This will be an all out attack on the guards. It has to be serious enough to make them think we are trying to defeat them."

"So, while we pull their tail, you cut off their head?" Greg asked with a hard expression on his face.

Ron nodded. "That about sums it up. If we do it right, they will never know what hit them."

Everyone agreed, although Hermione looked worried. Harry realized that she had not spoken once during their planning. That struck Harry as very odd. Hermione was usually the one that pointed out the flaws in their plans, normally supplying the details that would help them the most. Looking at her now, she just looked lost and alone as she looked up at Ron. Harry decided he would talk to her once they were done.

"Then we had best get ready for tomorrow," he said looking at them all. "This is not going to be easy for any of us."

Without another word, the group broke up. Harry wanted to talk to Hermione, but Ginny had other plans for him. The determined redhead pulled Harry out of the room and through the portrait hole. She never said a word to Harry until they reached the Headmaster's office. Dragging him up the stairs and into the office, Ginny finally turned to him and flung her arms around his neck, tears pouring from her eyes.

"I can't lose you, Harry," she sobbed. "You have to come back to me."

Harry held his crying wife tightly, gently stroking her long red hair in an attempt to comfort her. "I will always come back to you, you know that, Gin. I promised you a long time ago that no matter what happened, I would always be there for you."

"I know," she said, finally looking up at him. "I just have a really bad feeling that something is going to go wrong, that one of you isn't going to come back."

"Gin," Harry crooned. "We're talking about me and Ron here. We've never failed to come back from an assignment, now have we?"

Harry waited for her to look up at him again before kissing Ginny's lips lightly. His own distraction paid off perfectly, as a moment later Harry was tickling her and watching her squirm and laugh. He knew it was a cheap shot, merely a ruse to keep her mind off what they had planned for the following day. If he was really honest with himself, Harry was far from thrilled with the idea. Ron had been right though, this was the only way to stop this war fast. If that meant they had to trade their lives for the lives of everyone else…

At that very moment, Ron was thinking something very similar. Hermione refused to talk to him as they walked silently to the library. The library was where Hermione solved all of her problems. From hair care to advanced ward building, Ron knew that for his wife there would never be a better place to figure out all the mysteries of the Universe. That was also why he was a bit worried as he followed her.

_'It's never a good sign when she won't talk,'_ Ron thought as the finally walked into the library. _'Add to that the fact that she wanted to come to the library, this is not going to be good.'_

"Ron?"

"Yeah, 'Mione?"

"You promised you would never leave me behind again," Hermione said softly, but Ron could feel the power of her words. "I know this has to be done, but you belong to me. You will come back, or I will come after you this time. We need you here."

"Hey, nothing is going to stop me from coming back to you and the others," Ron said, reaching out for Hermione's arm and spinning her around so he could look into her eyes.

"I wasn't talking about the others, Ron," she said defiantly. "There are others you need to worry about as well."

Ron looked at his wife feeling a bit confused. "Who else is there?"

"Well there's me," she said softly, "and the babies."

"Babies?" Ron said, his tongue feeling as if it were too large for his mouth.

"Yes, Ronald," Hermione said looking into his eyes. "You do remember babies, don't you? We had several of them before, and now we are going to have several more. Twins, if I am not mistaken."

Ron's face went beet red and the next thing he knew he had Hermione in his arms and was twirling her around while covering her face in kisses. Of all the things he had expected from his new life in this distant future, babies had not been anywhere on his list. Now he was going to be a father again and there was nothing in the world that could make him happier.

Too bad he was unsure whether he would live to see his children born.


	19. Return to the Tower

**Chapter 19: Return to the Tower**

The Muggle radios had been a good idea. A few simple charms had been all that was needed to create a simple means of communicating without being seen or heard. Leave it to Hermione to solve a Wizarding problem with a Muggle solution. With that problem solved, they just had to start a war with the BSA and hope that they would all make it home alive.

So far, things were going according to plan. Ginny and the others had picked out a location in the northern half of London that was suitably devastated. The rubble provided numerous spots to attack from while keeping them out of sight of their targets, and giving them high ground to attack from. Hermione and Wulfric had erected wards around the site that prevented Muggle missiles from being used on them, and would, in fact, turn them around so that they detonated just short of the Tower itself. That alone would probably draw out a staggering number of BSA troops.

_"God help us if this goes badly,"_ thought Ginny as she waited for the first light of day. _"God help Harry and Ron if we fail."_

That was Ginny's largest concern right now, failing Harry and Ron. Looking at the Muggle watch that Greg had given her, Ginny realized at that very moment Harry and Ron were being dropped off by Fawkes in the Tower. Amelia had said that Fawkes would make sure to drop them someplace safe, but that hardly stopped Ginny from worrying. Fawkes might drop them someplace safe, but where they were going and what they were doing was anything but safe.

"Patrol on its way," said Wulfric's voice through the earpiece she was wearing.

_"God forgive us for what we are about to do,"_ Ginny thought as she took a deep breath.

At that moment Harry and Ron were hiding in an empty apartment in the Tower. Fawkes had made sure to drop them off someplace safe… just not someplace sanitary, or clean smelling. If Harry had to guess, the sewer line in this apartment had been broken for quite some time. The watermark that ran around the walls was almost three foot up the wall, and brown.

"Talk about a shitty apartment," Ron joked, his voice sounding muffled because his robe was pulled up around his nose and mouth.

"I don't know what you are complaining about," Harry shot back. "You forget, I've seen your bathroom and this is a vast improvement."

"Yeah, well, that's just because Kreacher was upset with me that one time," whined the blushing Weasley. "He thought it would teach me a lesson."

"As I remember it," Harry said with a disbelieving look, "he was upset that you and Hermione were 'occupied' while he was trying to clean said bathroom."

Even in the dimly lit room, Harry could see Ron's face turning a dark shade of red but he was laughing so that made it all right. The tension in the room when they first arrived had been intense, and if winding each other up was what it took to relax, then so be it. There was now a calm acceptance that they had to kill the Leader. He was a madman that would destroy far too many lives if left to his own devices. Even knowing that, Harry and Ron would much rather someone else be the one to do the job. Problem was, there was no one else.

"What time is it?" Ron asked, his voice sounding tense again.

"Five minutes after the last time you asked me," Harry snapped. "They are fighting as we speak, if everything went to plan."

Ron nodded before walking over to the door and putting an ear to it, trying to hear if anyone was outside. He motioned to Harry that everything seemed clear before they both cast Disillusionment charms on themselves. As soon as they were sure that the charms were in place, Ron slowly pulled the door open and the two men crept out into the brightly lit corridor. They quickly made their way towards the central shaft, where the express elevator to the top of the tower was.

William had explained that the only way to get to the Leader's chambers was to ride the express elevator. The elevator itself would be secured at the top of the shaft but the doors on each floor could be forced open. With the use of the school brooms, Harry and Ron could fly up the shaft and force their way past the elevator, or so they hoped. All of that rested on the hope that very soon the BSA guards and troops were going to be called off to fight against their little distraction.

_"I really hope Ginny is ok,"_ Harry thought as they turned a corner to see four guards coming their way.

_"I really hope I'm going to make it,"_ thought Ginny as she cast yet another barrage of blasting spells into the midst of the BSA troops.

They had only been fighting for ten minutes but Ginny was already sweating and exhausted. Only blind luck had kept them from being killed right off the bat. One of the BSA troops had been carrying a Muggle flame-thrower when they arrived. No one except Antonia realized exactly what it was. Thanks to her quick thinking, and one of the largest Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes fireworks that Ginny had ever seen, they had been spared a fiery death. Antonia had thrown the firework directly at the soldier just as he spun around to bathe her in fire. The resulting explosion destroyed the flamethrower, killing the soldier carrying it and the six other soldiers directly behind him. It was not pretty, but it had saved their lives.

Now they were on the second set of soldiers, along with two of the remaining soldiers from the first group. Ginny knew they were radioing for help even as she kept firing spells at them. That was the plan after all, to draw out as many of the BSA troops as possible. The wards would hopefully keep any planes or missiles from flying over them, but the troops themselves might be an even bigger problem. For the moment they had surprise on their side but eventually the BSA would have the numbers to grind them into the ground.

_"Twenty minutes,"_ she thought to herself as she watched a larger group of BSA troops arriving. _"We just have to hold them for another twenty minutes."_

By general agreement it had been decided that the battle should last no longer than thirty minutes. If they had not caused enough of a distraction by then, they never would. The improvised wards would never hold longer than that anyway. Hermione had warned them all that without the proper preparation, the wards would fail after that and they would be vulnerable to airborne attacks. Not that it mattered much to Ginny, she already knew they would never be able to hold the growing number of BSA troops longer.

"Ginny," said the voice Greg in her ear. "We've got about one hundred more troops coming this way. We're in luck, they are walking right through where we hid that portable bog."

"Trigger it when they are on top of it," she hissed back as she cast two more blasting spells into the group below.

"Gotcha," was Greg's reply.

They had almost completely emptied all of the WWW crates down in the chamber. In fact the only things left were the purely useless items and a single example of each creation. If the world ever got back to normal, Ginny wanted her brothers' creations to live on to entertain generations of people to come. If it not, well maybe someday someone would find them and appreciate them. Either way, Ginny felt sure that Fred and George would have appreciated the use to which their creations were being put.

Ron, on the other hand, would have given anything for a set of Fred and George's Extendable Ears. The BSA guards had a habit of speaking in whispers, making it near impossible to hear what they had to say. All he knew for sure was that something was up and that more and more of them were being called to attack a spot on the northern edge of the London ruins. It was fifteen minutes since Hermione and the others had started the diversion; hopefully they would be long gone before the majority of the troops arrived.

_"I never guessed they had this many guards and soldiers,"_ Ron thought to himself as he passed yet another large group of soldiers.

If he had to guess, Ron figured they had already passed at least five hundred guards and soldiers heading the other way. There were only seven people facing them right now. Seven against five hundred were not the type of odds he wanted to even think about. That was if the BSA only had five hundred more men to send. Given the size of the Tower and the unknown number of troops that might already be out in the field, Hermione and the others might be outnumbered by as few as ten to one, and that was just wishful thinking.

"There's the elevator," whispered the blurry figure standing next to him.

"And there are the elevator guards," Ron whispered back.

There had to be fifteen men standing in front of the elevator. They stood in a formal pattern leading up to the elevator's golden doors. If each floor had this many guards standing in front of it, just like this one, they were in trouble. William and Antonia had said the Tower was over one hundred seventy five stories tall, and if there were fifteen guards per floor, that was not a good thing. That meant there were almost three thousand guards just on this one elevator.

"This is not a good thing," whispered Harry.

"I know, mate," Ron whispered back. "I did the numbers too."

If they could have seen the look on Hermione's face right at that moment, they might have regretted the haste with which they had planned their attack. In just the twenty minutes they had been attacking the guards Hermione had already lost count of them all. The wards were holding for the moment, which was a good thing because the missiles had not stopped falling for the last five minutes. Unfortunately, neither had the guards. Obviously, they had no concerns for their own safety, because even with all the missiles they knew were being fired into the area, the troops just kept coming.

"Ginny," she cried into the radio microphone. "Can you see Wulfric or Antonia?"

"They're with me, Hermione," was Ginny's shout.

There was a crackle of static and then Elizabeth's voice broke through. "Where's Larry? I can't find Larry!"

Hermione threw two more of the larger fireworks down onto the guards below them before trying to get a look at the building Larry had been hiding in. Unfortunately there was too much smoke in the air now and the building was too far away. Hermione prayed it was just that Larry's radio was broken and not something worse.

"…burning," the radio crackled with Greg's voice. "His building is burning!"

"Can anyone get to Larry?" Ginny's voice cried over the open channel. "There might be time to get him out!"

Glancing at his watch, Harry hoped that after twenty five minutes, the others were still doing alright. Obviously, they were really causing problems for the BSA because all the guards had taken off as if they were leaving a burning building. Harry was surprised that they had been able to get past the guards so easily, even with the distraction, but he was in no mood to argue with luck. After the guards had left, it had been easy to open the elevator doors and fly up to the top of the shaft. There was a service platform right below the elevator car at the top of the shaft. Once they landed, Harry saw there was a ladder at the back of the shaft, evidently to reach the top shaft for servicing.

"This way, Ron," he said pointing at the ladder.

"You feel that vibration, Harry?" asked Ron, resting a hand against the concrete walls of the shaft.

"I feel it," Harry answered. "It started a few minutes ago. I think it's explosions outside, maybe the missiles we thought the BSA might use against them."

"That's a good sign then," Ron said, although he sounded anything but pleased.

"I'm sure they're okay, Ron."

"Yeah," agreed the redhead. "They should be pulling out of there at any moment now. We'll see them back at Hogwarts just as soon as we're done here."

"Yeah…" Harry replied softly.

Harry was trying not to think of Ginny at the moment. He was terrified he was never going to see her again. All that mattered right now was getting their mission completed. Nothing else mattered at the moment. Just complete their mission and return home. It all sounded so easy until he thought about it, then it just sounded like a bloody nightmare.

It was a bloody nightmare. Ginny had never thought thirty minutes could feel so much like an eternity. No one could get anywhere near the building Larry had been in and now Elizabeth was missing. Wulfric had already snuck out in an attempt to find them but the sinking feeling in Ginny's stomach would not go away.

"We've got to go, Ginny," Hermione called over the radio. "The wards are going to fail at any moment."

"All right," Ginny called back.

Throwing the last of the fireworks out the window, Ginny turned and grabbed Antonia's arm. Ginny Apparated away with the young woman before Antonia could say anything. A moment later they were standing just outside the gates of Hogwarts. Now, they could only wait to see who would and who would not return. The air felt heavy as the two women waited.

A loud crack announced the arrival of Hermione. The bushy haired witch looked a little worse for wear; she had a large cut on her head. Antonia rushed over to help her before Hermione collapsed in exhaustion. Ginny was just about to see to her friend when Greg appeared beside her. Greg was covered in dust and grime, but looked otherwise safe and sound. Antonia leapt into his arms and held him tightly; tears of joy ran down her face.

Looking over Antonia's head, Greg looked right at Ginny with a look filled with pain. "Where's Larry?"

Ginny just shook her head as she looked back at him. Each minute that passed without anyone else returning was a knife twisting in Ginny's heart. She could not bear the thought that they might have lost anyone, let alone three of their friends. They had already seen too much loss in all of their lives.

"You could stand to lose a few pounds, Ron," Harry whispered as he tried to squeeze into the tight ventilation duct next to his friend.

"Who says it's me, ya prat?" Ron said with a wink.

The top of the elevator shaft had been a dead end except for the small ventilation duct. They only barely managed to squeeze in before the elevator had started downward. A quick spell showed the car was empty, so that meant the Leader or one of his flunkies had called it somewhere below them. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing was yet to be seen.

"There's a light just ahead," Ron whispered.

"Hopefully it's a way out," panted Harry.

The duct was not very big, and the effort of crawling through it was exhausting the two men almost as much as all the rest of their adventure so far. Harry just hoped they would get a chance to rest a bit before they had to confront the Leader. Harry knew it was smarter to just kill the man before he knew they were there, but he could not bring himself to attack an unarmed and defenseless man no matter what that man had done. His guts told him that he at least needed to give the Leader a chance to fight back.

_"I'm not a stinking Death Eater,"_ Harry thought as he reached the light.

The light turned out to be a vent in a small washroom. Hopefully it was the one in the Leader's apartment, or at least one very near it. Whatever the case, it was deserted at the moment and that was good enough for Harry. It would give them a chance to clean up a bit and to rest long enough to get their strength back.

"I feel like every ounce of strength has been dragged from my body," Ginny said looking over at Hermione.

Hermione nodded as she tended to a small scrape on her leg. "I know what you mean. I'm running on adrenaline and worry right now."

"He's fine…" whispered Greg.

Ginny was so worried about Larry and Elizabeth as she sat on the ground just inside the gates of Hogwarts. They had only been back five minutes, nowhere near enough time to start worrying. Not yet, anyway. Still, every minute seemed to drag on and on, clawing and holding on like a feral beast. She knew how Greg must feel because of all the times she had waited for Harry, never knowing if he would come back to her or not. In fact, she had felt like that since kissing him goodbye. Strange how it had only been an hour since she had last seen him, but it felt like a year.

"I'm sure he's ok, Greg," Antonia said soothingly, cradling Greg in her arms. "Wulfric will find him and bring him back."

Ginny watched them together and was grateful that the two young people at least had each other now. If things turned out badly, they would at least have that to keep them going. Of course that could just be wishful thinking. Losing her brother Fred had been devastating to Ginny, and George had never fully recovered from it. He had always seemed lost without Fred by his side. Even years later, when George was an old man, she had still seen him occasionally turn to say something to someone that was no longer there. It had broken her heart every time.

A sudden loud crack startled everyone and they all turned to look out past the gates. Wulfric stood there with Elizabeth in his arms. The young girl looked badly injured, her leg looked broken and blood was pouring from a head wound. Wulfric ignored everyone else as he laid her down on the ground inside the gates. Hermione had her wand out in a moment and was healing the head wound. Wulfric was working on her leg, and within moments her injuries were healed.

"She's still going to need a lot of rest," Wulfric said looking up at Ginny.

"Where is Larry?" Greg asked, panic filling his voice.

"Where is this stinking prick," hissed Ron through gritted teeth.

Harry peeked around the corner and motioned towards a large ornate door at the end of the hallway. Where all of the other doors were simple steel, this one was trimmed with gold designs and symbols. It looked more like something you would expect to see in a drag queen's flat, rather than a political leader's apartments. Of course, Harry had known more than one political leader that secretly was a drag queen.

"Oh come on," whined Ron. "Tell me he's not sitting behind the gold door?"

"Where else would he be?" snorted Harry. "With an ego like his, could he be anyplace else?"

"He could be trapped under the rubble of the building!" Greg said fighting against Wulfric's scaled hide as the dragon blocked the way to the gates.

_He's not there, Greg. I looked and it was empty. I don't know where he is, but he's not there._

Antonia was doing her best to keep Greg from hurting himself, but his grief and anger had made him wild. She was afraid that if he kept this up, they would be forced to Stun him. Antonia wanted to avoid that if she could because Greg would feel betrayed if they did it. She loved him so much and she knew that what he needed more than anything else was to find his brother, alive and safe.

Harry just wanted this over with, he wanted to see Ginny again more than anything. If that meant he had to kill the Leader, so be it. As he prepared to reduce the door in front of him to nothing but molten slag, Ginny's smile was the only thing he could see in his mind. This was it, this was the last hurdle. After this, he could go home and be with his wife forever.

"Let's do this, Harry," Ron whispered.

Harry nodded and soundlessly released the spell he had been preparing. The magic hit the door and the two men watched as golden sparks shot from the door. It quickly heated to a glowing golden color before it sagged to the ground leaving the entrance wide open. Without a word, Harry and Ron sprinted for the door and leapt over the remains of the door. Ron spun around as soon as he landed and cast a barrier charm that sealed the doorway behind them. With wands drawn they ran into the main room to find their target sitting comfortably in the middle of the empty room in front of them.

"Welcome, gentlemen," smiled the man before them. "You could have just knocked you know. I had the entire floor cleared when I realized I was going to have visitors."

Harry recognized the man instantly. How could he not? Larry and Greg had told him numerous times that there was a remarkable resemblance between the two men. Now that he saw it for himself, Harry thought it was damned scary really. It was like a twisted mirror with Ron on one side and…

"LARRY!"

Everyone ran towards the gates as the badly injured young man stumbled through them. Greg reached him first, literally leaping over Wulfric to get to his brother. Next was Elizabeth, tears streaming down her face as they help to support the wounded man.

"Get him into the castle," ordered Hermione. "We've got to get his injuries tended to right away."

"Sorry," mumbled Larry as the carried him to the castle. "I got confused when the roof came down on me. I Apparated at random and passed out for a few."

"It's ok," Elizabeth said, her relief clearly evident on her face.

"No worries, brother," Greg said with a smile. "Where you end up?"

"Down in the tunnels," Larry said, his voice sounding thick and slurred. "Was thinking about…"

"Peter Weasley," Harry said sadly. "You're the Leader."

"Guilty as charged," said Larry and Greg's long lost brother. "I must admit that I am at a disadvantage though. You remind me of someone, but I can't place the face."

Ron snorted before speaking. "I don't think you need to worry about him."

"And why is that, Ron?" asked Peter Weasley as he finally stood up, a wand in his hand.

"'Cause I'm going to rip your fucking heart out for what you've done," snarled Ron, his wand already snapping up to cast the first spell.

"Let's play then," yelled Peter as he dodged Ron's first spell.


	20. Leader’s Lair

**Chapter 20: Leader's Lair**

"Peter Weasley," Harry said sadly. "You're the Leader."

"Guilty as charged," said Larry and Greg's long lost brother. "I must admit that you have me at a disadvantage. You remind me of someone, but I can't place the face."

Ron snorted before speaking, "I don't think you need to worry about him."

"And why is that, Ron?" asked Peter Weasley calmly as he finally stood up, a wand already in his hand.

"'Cause I'm going to rip your fucking heart out for what you've done," snarled Ron, his wand already snapping up to cast the first spell.

"Let's play then," yelled Peter as he dodged Ron's first spell.

Harry was surprised to see the absolute rage and fury that seemed to shine from Ron's face and eyes. In all the years he had known Ron, Harry had never seen that look on his friend's face before. Of course, he was also surprised at how fast the Leader could move. Still, for all that, to Harry everything seemed to slow down. Many years before, when Harry was still just an Auror, he had been in a Muggle car accident while on an investigation in Muggle London. Harry remembered that time had seemed to slow down as he watched the speeding car approaching the vehicle he was in. Then he remembered pulling his wand and casting several shield charms around the occupants of his car in the moments before impact, something that seemed to take forever at the time. Yet after the accident Harry had realized that it had all happened in less than a second. Time was funny like that sometimes.

All this went through Harry's mind while he was dodging and casting spell after spell. Ron for his part was doing the same, but neither of them could land a single curse on the Leader. Peter Weasley seemed to know exactly where not to be each time they cast a hex or curse at him. Harry had to admire the man's dueling technique though. It was like a cross between an old west gunslinger and a ballet dancer, all the speed of the one and the grace of the other.

_"Keep your head in the fight, Potter,"_ Harry thought to himself as he watched a powerful stunner fly past his face. _"I may not be able to take his life, but I don't need to let him take mine either."_

Harry still hoped that there was a way to defeat Peter without having to resort to killing him. He still hoped that maybe they could Obliviate the man's memories. Of course, that would not really work because then they would have to watch over him exactly as they would if they imprisoned him at Hogwarts. In either case, Harry just hoped there would be a solution that did not require someone dying.

Time might have seemed to slow down, but it was still moving fast enough. Harry snapped out of his thoughts as he spun past two more Stunners just as Ron jumped over what looked like a Reducto curse. Harry noticed that the floor and walls were covered in scorch marks from where their spells were impacting. There was something else as well. As he jumped over another set of hexes, Harry got close enough to the wall to see that behind the plaster and paint was a metal wall. At first Harry thought it was steel, but when a second Reducto curse hit it, Harry watched the dirt of years burn away to reveal…

"Silver, Ron!" Harry bellowed. "Watch for rebounds!"

"Come now," chided Peter. "You aren't afraid of a few rebounding curses, are you?"

Harry was not about to be baited by his opponent. Silver was a very real threat in a duel. It was tough enough to withstand most spells, and it could be polished to reflect them. Dumbledore had created a spell that used a large silver shield to protect himself while dueling. Harry had read all about it although he had never found any mention of the spell to create it, and the portrait at Hogwarts would not tell him. Not that it really mattered at the moment. All that mattered right now was the madman in front of him and the fact that Harry could not seem to hit him with a curse.

Harry and Ron needed a better plan than the one they had. Peter Weasley was turning out to be a very skilled duelist, and that was not a good thing at the moment. Not only was he nonverbally casting his spells, but he also seemed to know an awful lot of them. So far Harry had recognized several variations of the bashing, cutting, and burning hexes. Thankfully Peter had yet to use any of the Unforgivables but Harry knew it was only a matter of time.

_"Where did he learn to fight like this?"_ wondered Harry. _"Does the BSA have more secrets? Who am I kidding, of course they do."_

Harry dove off to his right, rolling back to his feet almost immediately, casting a series of Reducto curses that Peter easily avoided. Harry and Ron had worked together for many years. Their ability to duel together had been legendary at one point. Now, all these years later, Harry felt as if not a day had passed since the last time they had fought like this. There was no need for them to shout at each other, their movements were learned over years of practice. Yet they could not hit the leader of the BSA. Peter seemed equal to all of their years of practice.

They had tried herding the man by casting spells at one location in order to force him to another location, but he moved so fast that the second round of spells missed him every time. Harry watched the Leader closely, watched him duck and weave, almost as if he were dancing rather than fighting.

"Come now, gentlemen," taunted the Leader. "You must be able to do better than that? I'm barely breaking a sweat here."

Time was passing though and over time Peter did begin to sweat. Where Harry and Ron had spent the recent weeks dueling together and with the others, Peter Weasley had not. His ability to avoid being hit slowly began to deteriorate to the point where he finally had to start using a shield charm to deflect spells aimed at him. Harry was unsure when time returned to normal but he suspected it was when they had all grown so tired that their reactions finally just matched their perspectives. The minor spells were gone now, replaced by more powerful ones that would kill or cripple with one glancing blow. Slowly Harry felt it, the flow of the battle turning to go with him rather than against him.

"What's wrong, Peter?" taunted Ron. "This not as much fun as you thought it would be?"

"Shut up!" screamed the enraged madman.

"I want to know, Peter. Why you did it," Harry asked as he dodged the Leader's maddened attacks. "Why did you turn on your family and your friends?"

"Don't make me laugh," snarled Peter. "I had no family and friends! I was surrounded by freaks and made to suffer because of them. Then when everyone else left, I was left behind with an old monkey and a screaming brat. The first chance I got, I made them all pay for it. I hunted them all down and killed them, one by one. After I kill Ron here, I'll be the last Weasley. Then I just have to kill the monkey and the brat."

"They loved you!" Ron shouted back. "That little girl thought the world of you!"

"Oh goody," sneered Peter, sarcasm dripping from his words like venom, "the brat liked me. Oh for shame, my life has been so meaningless until hearing that. I should just give up now and let you win… but somehow I just don't think I'm going to."

Now Harry was the one to feel his temper rising. Amelia had loved her "Uncle Peter" very much. The thought that he had not genuinely returned her feelings was infuriating to Harry. It only seemed fair to him that Peter should be made to suffer as much as that little girl had when she thought her beloved uncle had died.

_"He will kill Amelia if he gets the chance,"_ Harry thought finally. _"He'll kill every last person I care about, if I give him the chance."_

That single thought in his mind, Harry concentrated on the faces of the people he loved. Ginny was the love of his life. Ron was his brother just as Hermione was his sister. Wulfric was his friend and partner. The others, especially Amelia, they were his children. Harry could not and would not let Peter take that from him. There could be only on decision now.

"You're a dead man, Peter," Harry said in a voice so cold it surprised even him.

The air was suddenly thick with spells, most of which were Harry's. The Elder Wand fairly vibrated in his hand with the amount of power that Harry was channeling through it. The wall behind the Leader was soon charred and melted, holes in it revealing the room beyond. Not even the silver in the walls could stand up to the pure power that Harry was unleashing now.

"Who are you?" screamed the Leader, his voice sounding afraid and panicked.

"He's your worst nightmare, you wanker," laughed Ron. "He's Harry bloody Potter!"

"That's not possible," shrieked Peter. "He's just a story to scare little children!"

"Are you scared yet?" was Ron's haunting reply.

The fear was obvious in Peter's eyes now. Peter's previously fluid movements started becoming more erratic and he had to use shield charms to protect himself more often. Peter was easily able to deflect Ron's spells with his hastily cast shields, but Harry's spells were shattering the man's defenses as quickly as they were raised. It was only by luck that Peter had so far managed to avoid being hit with one of Harry's powerful Stunning spells. How long that would last was anyone's guess because Peter was now jumping back and forth between Ron's attacks and Harry's.

"You betrayed your family, Peter," Harry hissed as he pushed his attack.

"My family betrayed me!" Peter screamed back. "I just wanted to be normal but they forced me to be different!"

"So you tried to kill all of them?" asked Ron as he tried to blast the man's feet out from under him. "You blamed them for your birth? Stop fighting and I can fix that one for you!"

"You can't defeat me," roared the struggling man. "I have a mission, to wipe magic from this world so we can all live in peace."

"What would you know of peace?" Harry replied in a cold voice. "You killed the innocent and used their souls to kill even more. I don't know about peace, but I know justice."

"You dare speak to me about justice?" screamed the Leader. "I am justice for this diseased world! My word is law! My face and voice are burned into the mind of every one of my soldiers! With them, I am God! You and your filth are the criminals here! You are going to die, freak!"

Harry could see it happening in his mind even before Peter's wand began to move. He had seen that look of desperation in people's eyes before. The look that said they had finally crossed the line and were now ready to take a life. Sometimes there was sadness in their eyes when they reached that point, but more often than not there was rage. Peter Weasley's eyes were filled with rage and madness as his wand slowly pointed at Harry. Time was slowing down again for Harry as he watched Peter take aim at his chest.

"_AVADA_," Peter began.

Harry watched Ron rushing towards Peter, trying to knock the wand from the madman's hands before he could finish the spell. Harry knew that Ron would not reach Peter in time and that he could not block the spell that Peter was casting. His ability to survive that curse had ended when Voldemort destroyed the shred of soul that had been hiding in Harry. There was one other thing he could do. Harry could let him finish the spell.

"_KEDAVRA_!" Peter finished.

_"How slow,"_ Harry thought to himself as he watched the bright green beam of light approaching.

"HARRY!" shouted Ron, his face a mask of terror.

At the last possible moment, Harry did the one thing that Peter had never expected him to do. Letting all of his muscles go slack, Harry dropped to the ground just before the beam hit his chest. A second later and the spell struck the wall behind him, and more importantly the silver plate that had been revealed there. In a liquid-like splash of color, the curse rebounded off the silver plate and raced back towards the man that had cast it. Harry watched as it struck the shocked form of Peter Weasley, ripping his life away even as Peter stood looking in disbelief at what was happening to him.

In the blink of an eye, it was over, and time resumed its natural pace once more. Peter Weasley lay dead on the floor as Harry and Ron let out explosive breaths, glad that they had survived. Harry lay on the floor, looking up at the ceiling and wondering what Ginny was doing right that moment. When Ron finally held a hand out to him, Harry took it and let himself be helped to his feet.

"You scared the shite out of me, mate," Ron said finally. "I thought that wanker had you for a moment."

"So did I," Harry said quietly, walking over to look down at the body laying before them.

Harry was relieved that he had not been forced to end the man's life. He knew it had to happen, but this way he could still look himself in the mirror at night and not feel guilty. Looking over at Ron, Harry smiled weakly.

"We did it, Ron. It's over."

"I guess it is."

Harry walked out of the room and back to the washroom they had found earlier. He turned on one of the taps over the sink and felt the cold water rush over his hands. Splashing handfuls of water on his face, Harry felt his body begin to relax as the tension and adrenaline started to fade from his system. The duel replayed slowly in his mind as he looked into his reflection in mirror. A glance at his watch showed that less than fifteen minutes had passed since they had begun the fight. It had seemed much longer to Harry. As he stepped out of the washroom, Harry saw Ron sitting with his back to the wall just outside the room where Peter's body lay.

"What do we tell the others?" Ron said looking at the wand in his hands.

"I don't know," Harry said sliding down the wall to sit next to Ron. "Greg and Larry think their brother died a long time ago. I hate to think what knowing he was behind so much suffering would do to them."

"Not to mention little Amelia," Ron agreed. "Peter was a hero to her."

"There's another problem," Harry said quietly.

"I know," agreed Ron.

Neither of them spoke for a time. They both knew that Peter's death was not the quick fix they had wanted it to be. The BSA would either self destruct with Peter's death, or someone even worse would take his place and it would start all over again. Harry knew what had to be done, but he hated the thought of what it would mean.

"Ron," he started, but Ron cut him off.

"Forget it Harry," Ron said firmly.

"Someone has to take his place, Ron," Harry said looking at his friend.

"I know that," Ron said finally. "Problem is, you've already got a job to do. You've got to help what's left of the magical world to get back on its feet."

"You can do that as well as I can," Harry argued. "You've got to go back to Hermione. She needs you."

"And Ginny doesn't need you?"

"She will understand," Harry said, but he thought his words sounded weak.

"Yeah," Ron said getting to his feet. "She'll understand."

Harry looked up as Ron held out a hand to help him up again. If he had been paying attention he would have realized that Ron was looking at him strangely. It was far too late for Harry to do anything about it though as a moment later he watched Ron's fist swinging towards his face. Harry felt the impact of Ron's fist on the side of his head just before the world started to go black. The last thing he remembered was a sad expression on Ron's face and three simple words.

"I'm sorry, Harry."

Ron looked down at his friend's unconscious form and sighed. He knew it had to be this way. Just like in their first year at Hogwarts when they had played chess in order to reach the stone before it was too late, Ron knew there had to be a sacrifice. Just like then, Ron would fall so that Harry might go on to do something better.

_"Besides,"_ Ron thought to himself, _"who better to rebuild the magical world than the__ bloody__ savior of it?"_

Ron reached down for the wand lying next to Harry. The wand felt warm and alive in his hand. The Elder Wand had passed to Harry when he had defeated Draco Malfoy, but that had been different circumstances. Holding the wand in his hand, Ron knew the same truth that Harry had known all those years before. The Elder Wand was too much magic for any one person to control. Well, any one person except for Harry.

"I don't know if you can understand me," Ron said to the wand. "I didn't defeat Harry, and he is still your master. Do you understand me?"

Ron would have sworn that the wand actually twitched in his hand for a moment before it suddenly went cold in his hand. A moment later the wand was gone, and looking down Ron saw it in Harry's hand as he lay unconscious on the ground. Obviously the wand had understood perfectly what Ron had meant.

"Thank you," Ron said to the wand.

Knowing he had only a short time before Harry would wake up, Ron Summoned pen and paper from the somewhere in the apartment. He had to explain to Hermione what he had to do and why he would not be coming back to her, at least not for a while. Not that she would understand at first, but he would at least try to explain it.

_Hermione,_

_I'm writing this just a few minutes after Harry defeated the Leader. It turns out that Peter Weasley, Larry and Greg's brother, had taken control of the BSA shortly after they thought he had been killed. I don't know that you need to tell them that bit. Let them think he died a hero but I know you'll do what's best for them in the long run._

_The problem is that without him here, someone worse could take his place. I know you'll be angry at me for this, but I can't let that happen, '__Mione__. I'm going to stay here for a while and take his place in the hopes that I can make some changes. Maybe I can make this a world where you and our children will be safe. At least I hope I can. _

_I want you to know that I want nothing more than to be with you forever, but this has to be done. The magical world needs Harry, and since a Weasley was responsible for so much death, I'm needed here to fix it. I hope that, God willing, I can stop the BSA from hurting anyone ever again so that I can hurry back to you and our babies._

_Till then just remember how much I love you._

_Your husband,_

_Ron_

Ron looked at the short letter for a few moments before he folded it in half and tucked it into Harry's shirt. Hermione was going to be furious with him, and he really had no idea how long it would be before he would be able to see his wife again. Ron could only hope that she would understand eventually that he was doing this for her and their children. That hope in mind, Ron looked down one more time at Harry before raising his head.

"Fawkes!" he cried out to the empty room, and a moment later the phoenix appeared in a flash of flame to land on his shoulder.

"Take Harry back to Hogwarts, Fawkes," he said softly to the bird. "And no matter what Hermione says to you, don't bring her here. Okay?"

Fawkes looked at him for a moment before nodding his head and flying over to Harry. In a second flash of flame, they were gone. Ron sighed as he turned and walked back into the room where Peter's body lay. With a wave of his wand, Ron Vanished Peter's body and wand. He spent several minutes after that repairing the room until there was no visible sign that a duel had ever taken place there.

Finally Ron made his way into the room beyond. It turned out that this was Peter's bedroom. The room was mostly empty except for a bed and large wardrobe. Ron opened the wardrobe and found several sets of clothing and the black cloak that Ron had seen him wearing when he had been a captive. Pulling the cloak out, Ron grabbed a clean set of clothes and made his way back to the washroom for a quick cleanup. Several minutes later, dressed in the fresh clothes and the Leader's cloak, Ron pulled the hood over his head and face and watched as his face vanished into pitch blackness.

"Guess I better get started," he said to no one.

Ron knew there was a lot he did not understand about the running of this place, but that was easily fixed. Stepping outside the main doors of the apartment, Ron made his way to the elevator and stepped inside. Taking it down one floor he waited until the doors opened and looked out to see that the large honor guard had returned.

"I'm sorry," he whispered before he pointed his wand at one of the guards. "_Imperio_."

The guard turned silently and stepped into the elevator with Ron before the doors closed.

"My friend," Ron said gently to the man standing next to him, "you have just been promoted. From this point on you are going to be my official source of information."

"Yes, sir," said the man in a dazed voice.

"Good," Ron said smiling sadly to himself. "The first thing I want to know is where a bloke can get a decent meal?"


	21. Epilogue: 11 Years Later

**Epilogue: 11 Years Later**

The pretty young announcer smiled brightly for the cameras as she prepared to address her audience.

"Hello! I'm Scarlet Witherspoon coming to you live from London's Tower One on the tenth anniversary of the creation of the World Council for Justice!"

The camera pans past the young woman to show the large tower in the distance. As striking as the image of the Tower was, it was the landscape around it that caused viewers around the world to wish they could be there at that moment. The lush green fields and rolling hills are filled with small buildings and inviting parks. The London Restoration Project has been in full swing for ten years, and was considered one of the most successful of all the projects then underway.

"With the creation of the WCJ," continues the voice of the young woman, "and their announcement that magical terrorism had finally been wiped from the world, the people of the world were finally able to breathe a sigh of relief."

Stock footage showed thousands of people celebrating the news that magic was once and for all a thing of the past. To the casual observer, it all looked so normal. If you were to pay closer attention though you would see the occasional face in the crowd that did not look nearly as pleased with the announcement. However, for the most part, everyone seemed pleased with the news as they applauded the form of the tall red haired man that was making the announcement.

The picture once again changed to show the young woman's smiling face. "With the end of the war against the magical terrorists finally at hand, the Leader of the Brotherhood for Scientific Achievement announced the dissolution of his organization. He also announced that he would be taking over a full time position as Chairman of the WCJ, overseeing the restored governments of the individual member nations."

Once again the image changed to show more stock footage from ten years before of the same tall red haired man shaking hands with numerous men and women from around the world. Standing at his side was a young woman with bushy brown hair and a wide smile. The tall young man had an arm possessively around the woman's waist, a fact that many of the people around him seemed to be commenting on in a good-natured manner. Several times the camera panned over to where two small babies were being tended to by a nanny.

The reporter's voice continued over the image of the two small children. "The Chairman's announcement that he had secretly married the year before, but kept it secret to protect her until the BSA was certain that there would be no further magical attacks, was seen as a humanizing factor for the Chairman. With his push that same year to begin restoration of the areas that were damaged by the magical attacks, it was widely accepted that the Chairman was probably the greatest humanitarian the world had ever known."

Once again the reporter's face was smiling out at the audience. "After ten years of peace and prosperity, Chairman Ronald Weasley is being awarded the much coveted Nobel Peace Prize for his outstanding dedication and service to the world. Afterwards, he and his family will be taking a much needed vacation before his children start private school this fall."

Harry turned off the screen at that point. He knew the rest, probably better than the reporter did. It had taken Ron nearly a year to put his changes into effect. The first task was the deprogramming of the BSA soldiers, a process that had turned out to be much more difficult than any of them had originally anticipated. Compared to that mammoth task, the rest had been easy. The creation of the WCJ and dissolution of the BSA had gone far smoother than hoped. It seemed that no one really liked the BSA and even after hundreds of years of its rule, the sovereign nations and their people had been yearning for their freedom. After his announcement that the magical terrorist threat was a thing of the past, it was easy to return power to the individual nations.

Harry had to laugh as he remembered the day of the announcement. Ron had only been able to sneak away for a single day when his children, Fred and Georgina, had been born. So the night before he made the announcement that would once and for all end the worries of the Muggle world concerning magic, Hermione Apparated to the Tower with their two children. In an argument of epic proportions, she had informed her husband that they had been separated for too long and she was moving in. Any hopes he might have had of winning were dashed the moment Hermione handed him their two children. Ron had realized that he never wanted to be separated from them again, and so the story of his secret wedding.

Now, over ten years later, Harry was happy to know that soon his two best friends in the entire world would be able to come and visit for a few weeks before the new school year started. Hogwarts had been a little lonely without Ron and Hermione, but that did not mean that Harry had been bored. Harry's duties as the Headmaster of Hogwarts, as well as his position as the Minister of Magic for the entire Wizarding world, had kept him extremely busy over the past few years. Being the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher had not helped matters much, but everyone was wearing more than one hat nowadays.

When the decision had been made to once again hide the Wizarding world from the Muggle world, Harry and the others had worried that there was nothing left to be hidden. Thanks to Wulfric and Fawkes, they had been proven wrong. Wulfric and the phoenix had spent several weeks searching out the survivors of the magical world. With the discovery of each new survivor, Wulfric had sent them all to Hogwarts until the castle could not hold them all. That was when the restoration of BSA damaged lands had been proposed and the area around Hogwarts had been reclaimed. . Hogsmeade was rebuilt shortly thereafter.

Since then, they had managed to staff Hogwarts and begin once more the training of the next generation of witches and wizards. This last spring had seen the graduation of the third group of students to attend Hogwarts for a full seven years, a fact that Harry could not be prouder of. There was also the news that Wulfric's first batches of brand new wands were a resounding success, thus alleviating the worry of running out of wands anytime soon. Things were finally getting back to normal for all of them, something for which they were all grateful.

Making his way down towards the Great Hall, Harry smiled to himself contentedly. The last eleven years had been tough, but also some of the best of his life. For all the work and changes, Harry had still been able to enjoy his time with his friends and family. Ginny had surprised him to no end when he had returned from the Tower only to be told that not only was Hermione expecting twins, but so was she. Just five days after Hermione gave birth to Fred and Georgina, the world was introduced to Sirius and Remus Potter. Amelia had been thrilled to have two adorable little brothers, and had taken her duties as an older sister very seriously.

It was strange to realize that Amelia was twenty-one years old now, happily married to William, and expecting their first child in October. Everyone with the exception of Larry and Elizabeth were married now, and those two might as well be married for all the bickering and shagging they did. Greg and Antonia had not been nearly as reserved, marrying the day after Antonia turned eighteen since she was a Muggle and therefore abiding by their laws. Antonia was the best Muggle Studies teacher that Hogwarts had ever seen, while her husband had turned out to be a very talented History of Magic teacher whose students were never bored by his antics.

_"If I can just keep the two of them out of the broom closets this year,"_ Harry thought to himself with a chuckle, _"I might keep them from having that eighth child they keep trying for."_

Ginny had taught Charms for a while until they found someone more qualified for the job. Now she spent her days working with the younger children in Hogsmeade, teaching them about their magical heritage and, more importantly, about Quidditch. That was not her only passion though, and it had not been long before Ginny had announced her intention of establishing a new and unbiased Wizarding news service. Within the year, with Larry and Elizabeth's help, she had managed to restore daily service of a new _Daily Prophet_ and even nightly news broadcasts. Elizabeth hosted the video broadcasts that could only be picked up on magically enhanced screens such as the one in Harry's office, while Larry produced the show for her.

Oddly, the first advertiser in the new _Daily Prophet_ was a company called WWW, which provided "quality jokes and pranks for all ages." Harry never actually asked Ginny if she was behind the return of Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. It was an unspoken agreement between them that so long as no one was permanently injured, Harry would not ask any questions. He was pleased to note however that all the profits of the mail order company was donated to the building of a new wizards' hospital being built in Hogsmeade and scheduled be completed by Christmas that year.

There were a number of building projects that would soon be completed. Harry had been able to convince the remaining goblins to build and run a new version of Gringotts, which would be finished in a month. The goblins were taking their job very seriously and promised that although the building and smaller vaults would be finished soon, the high security vaults would take many more years to complete. According to the clan chief in charge of the project, this new version of the Wizarding bank would be far more secure than the previous one and there would never be another repeat of what had happened in Diagon Alley.

The other building project was a bit more worrisome to Harry; the new Ministry of Magic building, which would not be completed until the following summer. Originally, they had not felt it was needed but there had been a popular outcry for a visible sign of government for the Wizarding world. Against his better judgment, Harry had given the go ahead on the project and soon there would be a brand new Ministry building located one hundred miles north of London in what looked like a deserted mansion. Harry just hoped the wards around it would be strong enough to keep it safe, should anyone discover its true nature.

_"We don't want to start a new wave of hysteria if it's discovered,"_ Harry thought with a frown as he entered the Great Hall.

Harry's greatest worry these days was what was going to happen when they started notifying Muggle-born witches and wizards of their acceptance to Hogwarts. Peter Weasley had managed to destroy an entire generation of Muggle-born witches and wizards. Some had voiced the opinion that there would be no more Muggle-borns after the BSA's purge of their numbers for so many years. Yet within months of Ron taking control of the BSA, the first new generation of Muggle-born magic users was born. Now, eleven years later, they would be receiving their letters from Hogwarts within weeks. How they or their parents would take the news was anyone's guess.

Thankfully, there were only a handful of children involved worldwide. Just the day before, Harry had counted the letters himself and so far there were only about forty Muggle-born students in addition to the sixty-five children from the magical families. Harry and Ron had been thinking of personally delivering the letters to the children in question and explaining it to their families together. Of course the other reason for this was so that if the parents decided they wanted nothing to do with Hogwarts and magic, Harry could always Obliviate the parents' memory and seal the child's abilities away. It was a hard decision to make, but a necessary one in Harry's opinion. Too many lives were on the line if it became common knowledge once again that witches and wizards were alive and well in the world.

"Maybe in a few more years it will be different," Harry said to himself.

"Talking to yourself again, Professor Potter?"

Harry turned around to see Ginny standing just inside the doors to the Great Hall. She was just as lovely as always, and Harry loved her just as much as he had the day they were married.

"Well, Mrs. Potter, I have so many brilliant ideas that they just tend to slip out," Harry said, walking over to kiss his wife. "Are our guests here yet?"

Sliding her hand into his, Ginny led Harry out of the Great Hall. "Not yet, dear. Hermione said they probably wouldn't get here until late this afternoon."

Together they walked through the deserted entryway of Hogwarts and out onto the sunlit grounds beyond. It seemed like a lifetime ago that they had been brought back to Hogwarts to fight for the survival of the magical world. It was amazing that they had been blessed with not only a second lifetime together, but that they had actually succeeded in restoring peace to their world. Now he had a new family, friends, and was living at the place he had always thought of as his first home. Harry doubted his life could get much better.

"Harry?"

"Yes, Gin?"

"Since we have a bit of time before Ron and Hermione get here, I was thinking we could go for a dip in the lake," she said pulling him towards the lake in the distance.

"We don't have suits, Gin," he laughed as Ginny led him towards the water.

"Are you a wizard or what, Harry? Besides," she said with a wicked grin, "who says we need suits?"

"You know," he said with a smile, "I think I can live with that."

**The End**.


End file.
